Decluttering life and letting go.

There was a grieving process for me a few days ago that started when the realization that I am a woman of a certain age (actually, by the strike of "luck", in my case, I am a woman "past certain age"). I've been struggling with keeping up The Great Training and The Awesome Racing while constantly digging for the answers why my recovery takes so much longer. I've been cheating my body into it with wonderful care (as much as I can consider myself deserving it), good food, various healthy eating adventures, vitamins, supplements, even prescribed medications, I've been doing yoga religiously (thankfully I love it), lifting weight, even getting massages from time to time (I know, right?), and backing off training when needed. I can listen to my body, I kept saying, and kept wondering why that "backing off" is being required to be longer and more stringent. Well, there is no denial. It's time to back off in a smart way, in a way when I stop comparing what other peers of mine in my age group are still capable of, because my biological age skipped a decade or so over my birth certificate, and I need to respect that.

While I was wallowing in this, I somehow opened my email box where it says "All Mail" - and realized it contains 2,503 emails. Holly shit! And that is me, who prides herself in de-cluttering everything I get my eyes and hands on! And I do go through email on monthly basis - how did that happen? Things gets pushed down, but for the most part, I held on to things because I thought they were important to me, they defined me. And suddenly an urge to clean my mail box - my life - out of it overwhelmed me. I spent a better part of a day yesterday between experiments clicking through, getting from oldest (some 5 years old plus) forward. AT first I actually if not read, then at least scanned what it was. The process of letting go began. I said goodbye to some old friends I don't hear from anymore - and some I was surprised to even have had. I said goodbye to the words of encouragement from random people, and words of congratulations. Words of "We love you and support you" and words "You are wrong". I started deleting emails from my ex and his (then) girlfriend, at first gingerly, then in packs. Emails that said you are a good mother and was a good wife - and emails that said what a horrible person I am, how everything is my fault. Emails that were swinging from side to side in pendulum of the biggest tower clock I've ever seen! Emails from my kids and about my kids on insignificant things - and then those that seemed to be significant...but with time happened to prove they, too, were lies. Emails from old coaching clients, from schedules to thank you's "What would I do without your help". Emails from friends who, thank God, are still friends and stood the test of time - and I know and I don't need an email in my inbox to tell me I am a good friend. Emails from friends that still mean a lot to me, but our paths came apart slowly - I kept them because I was trying to tell myself I deserve their love and approval...but it was OK to let go, it doesn't mean one of us is a bad person, it just life, it flows...Emails on old houses I owed, their purchases and sales, "just in case somebody is after me" - well, it's all in my credit report, right? Emails from my own coaches, emails I sent to myself with websites I wanted to make sure to check on. I didn't need that anymore. As a woman of "past certain age", I want to believe I posses a certain amount of wisdom to know things by now I need to have learned, and to be open-minded enough to keep learning things I am still yet to know. I didn't need even my Russian family's approval of being a good daughter/mother/wife/sister or not so much - we each have our own definition of those ideas. I know where I stand, with respect, dignity, and yes, love...

Down to 353 and I am not fully done yet, just a little tired. It is not easy to have such a baggage, and apparently, letting go off it is not that easy either. Freeing, exhilarating, but not easy. In fact, I was so afraid that I'll try and hold on to something, I would go to "Trash" mail box and empty it every 200 or so emails. Especially when my deleting became "in bulk".

But there was a light in it too. There were emails from Larry, my sweet husband, then just a long-distance dating prospect. I managed to save his very first email, way before either one of us was divorced, when he just asked a question on training. I managed to save an email where I offered him a shoulder as he was going through his (at the time unknown to me, but turned out to be that very divorce) difficult time - and an email where we realized we are both grieving same loss of a marriage of 18 years for each. I had an email from our "official" meeting race, and his surprise visit to Oregon...and then a whole amazing numerous string of emails as our relationship was developing. Re-reading those was absolutely worth every minute of my time. He hasn't changed. He stands by his words, loyal as he said he is, loving as he expressed he was, supportive and accepting of how I am...

And that made a lot of letting go easier too. Not only of the past baggage in terms of emails or emotions. Letting go of concepts of what I need to continue to be when it's not really where I am. And I've been at these stages of my life already, and if you are a reader fo the blog for years - you''d remember that. As much as I am a runner, my life is not defined by it, it is enriched by it. I keep promising myself to step back - and keep luring myself back in. I love running - for emotional reasons, and I love competing - for my own personal reasons. Thus running comes as two-fold: to train (and I truly do love training) and to release emotions. When it's neither, it becomes a chore, and the last thing I want in my life is for something I love to become a chore. Where am I going with it? At the beginning of this year I promised myself to try a running streak. The definition of it is to run at least a mile every day - and it was side-tracked ahead of time that if I am injured, sick or in need of recovery, it can be a continuous walking mile instead of running. I made it all the way through my Spring season. I ran a mile after San Diego 100. I hobbled here and there, I threw some walks in. The longer summer lasted, the more my body demanded a break - physical and mental - from running, the more "walking miles" were showing up (once a week on Friday was set since mid-August). Rough Creek 40 miler, as much as I hate to call it a "race" for myself as I walked so much of it, was a race in a definition of effort I put into it. Between the fast first loop, hard power-walk and zapping heat and humidity that my body refuses to behave in, the whole first week shuffling a couple-few miles was simply disguising. It didn't feed my body, nor my soul. I threw a solid hill run on Monday and was almost excited that I am back - and yet the last 3 days was back to shuffle, not one where you are injured, or slow...I could have run faster today, but I simply had no interest. And that lead me to a decision to end my streak - on my birthday in 2 weeks. What I announced to Larry as soon as I walked in.

As I was standing in the shower, it dawned on me: why birthday? Why those artificially-imposed timelines that nobody really cares for? Nobody even cares whether or not I am running. And everybody, or, hell, definitely I , know that I am not any lesser of a runner for skipping a day, and I am not going to stop exercising and letting myself go if I don't run. But if I do continue right now, I either end up in another bout of what happened last year, or dislike the process of running and DNF at Grindstone (as I did at Tahoe Rim 100 in 2010, when I was simply fed up and quit). I don't want to risk either! I want to do thing in a long haul, and I want to finish the Grindstone 100, regardless whether or not I even apply for Hardrock 100 lottery, yet along get in! I want to go there because I absolutely love what running 100 miles in the mountains offers to me, opens to me, discovers in me, lets me grow, lets me shut things down, lets me be primal, be real, be tough, be broken down, be so much more! SO, here, you go, tomorrow, I will not go for a run.

But I will go for Power yoga:) I love my classes at Breath and Body yoga, and I am squeezing every possible time of day to put as many classes in as I can while on a 1-month intro card. It, too, offers me growth - and offers me introspection, a look inside myself, and a way to improve my health and my body. My Bikram is not behind either.

Come to think about it, my life is just on yet another spiral, and I need to honor it. I need to do all those things I want to do, without over-scheduling myself to the point when I hate doing each and every one of them, even if I started them exactly because I love them. When running needs to come - it will come back, it always did, on its own terms.

And same goes for blogging. Between that very over-scheduling of my life lately, the fact that I can't write about everything here anymore due to complication of my (former) personal life and yet not being one of those "I'll write about what others want to hear and cut the rest", taking a break from hard training and a lack of comments, it'll stay as my running, without pressure, only if and when I have a desire.

But I am still going to Virginia in 1 week (gasp!) to run Blue Mountain range and still have some kind of goals (or hopes). And yes, I am still running behind Larry 4 weeks later at Ozark 100 in Missouri with scissors in my Ultraspire pack and girl's panties in his mile 85 drop bag, still thrilled about opportunity to finally be at Hellgate 100k on December 14th at midnight and hear Horton's hell - and yes, absolutely looking forward to Veteran's camp in November, where I will be crawling around 5 days after Ozark with the slowest and least able-bodied group of soldiers helping Liza integrate our heroes into community.

Life is good. Very, very good. It is what we make of it, how we look at it, how we separate the chaffs from the weeds. Amazingly, I never stop re-learning this lesson:)

Teva trail shoes review.

Can be found here.

Teva TevaSphere Speed Trail Shoe: Men’s and Women’s Tread Review

Written by Olga King and David Hanenburg | Topic: product reviews, trail running gear

Most folks probably know the name Teva from their active-life sandal collection. Recently Teva came out with their natural surface trail shoe series called the TevaSphere collection. This series is Teva’s creative approach to combining barefoot-style minimalism, and the stability and comfort of a traditional shoe. Not an easy marriage when we are talking about joining two ends of the running shoe spectrum but Teva went for it.

Olga and I were provided the opportunity to each test-drive a pair of their light-er weight TevaSphere Speed tread where we put them through a number of dirty miles on both tame and rugged terrain. Before we share our thoughts, let’s learn a little bit more about the shoe.

Men’s TevaSphere Speed

Women’s TevaSphere Speed

Specs of Interest

•  Moderate weight – 9.45 ounces (mens size 9), 7.7 ounces (female)
• Low Drop – 4 mm (23 mm heel / 19 mm forefoot)
• Grippy Outsole – Sticky rubber outsole with low-profile lugs
• TevaSphere Outsole – The Big Bang of this shoe (more on that below)
• Minor Piggy Protection – Small amount of outsole wrap with a bit of stiffness

What is this TevaSphere Outsole?

How Teva describes it – “The TevaSphere’s spherical heel and support pods give you the natural motion benefits of barefoot, and also the comfort and protection of a traditional shoe.”

So the outsole heel area is basically an extension of your heel (similar to a pair of  Vibram fivefingers)  – rounded and firm/hard (without much cushioning).

The support pods hang out in the midfoot area, are fairly cushy (much lower durometer value versus heel) and actually raises the heel up slightly such that there is a small gap between heel and ground when shoe is unloaded on a flat surface.

Here is a little Teva video on the TevaSphere approach.

Enough about the specs, let’s get to the test drive.

Btw, Neither Olga or I have talked about the shoe or seen each other’s thoughts about them prior to putting this together so it should be interesting to see our two perspectives. (unedited) 

Men’s TevaSphere Speed Test Drive – David Hanenburg

 Looks

Out of the box, the black and gray with a bit of highlights looked pretty good together. The support pods looked a little odd by being highlighted a different color than the midsole.

Fit

I wore a size 12 which has been my typical trail shoe size. Fit was good through the heel and midfoot but a bit snug in the forefoot. Definitely not lots of room for the piggies to play. I could go with thin to medium sock thickness but a thick sock would have the shoe too snug for my foot.

To the Trails – Time to Get Dirty

I wore these shoes on both groomed and flat off road surfaces, as well as steep, technical, rocky, and rooty Texas terrain.

On the tame stuff, the TevaSphere Speed worked like a running shoe should, you don’t really notice it. It was comfortable (still would like more piggy room) and functional. It worked.

Once on the more technical and varied terrain, I began to receive much more feedback from the Speed and it felt outside of its comfort zone.

The Speed did dance over roots well, providing a nice mute to the object, and the sticky rubber outsole maintained a good bite on a variety of surfaces.

And then things got a bit challenging for the shoe.

Technical running that included steep descents and a mix of small to large rocks (loose and fixed), I could feel the rocks jabbing into my feet. I also noticed the forefoot midsole area seemed to break down pretty quickly which didn’t help with the object buffering.

While scampering through the technical terrain (downhill with objects of various types) I felt less stable. Hard to exactly describe what less stable means, but my running felt sloppy and a little skittish when dancing on various awkward sized objects along the steep downhill sections of trail which I have ran many, many times. I could sense wobbly/unstable ankles at times. I am not sure if this could be due to the squishy support pods or reduced ground contact area at the heel, or maybe a combination of the two. Not sure, but I did notice it.

I would consider it more of a short to moderate distance running shoe (up to 15 miles) as my feet seemed to get beat up especially on more technical terrain.

The Last Mile – Final Thoughts

The TevaSphere Speed handles the non-technical terrain just fine but seems to lose stability and handling in the technical stuff. As a spec’d 10 ounce shoe, I would like more midfoot/forefoot buffering and object protection.

I dig the 4mm heel-to-forefoot drop.

Did I notice any benefit of the support pods and spherical heel? On the flats I could notice the pods (not sure on the benefit) but on technical terrain the pods felt like a hindrance. I didn’t notice any benefit of the spherical heel but I guess having the rounded edges could help support midfoot/forefoot running. How much more help than a more standard outsole/midsole in the heel area on a 4 mm drop shoe? Not sure. Would I prefer more heel midsole cushioning for extended, technical downhill running? I think so.

If someone is more of a heel striker when they run, I would definitely be aware of the lack of heel cushioning/midsole although with the lower shoe drop (versus traditional shoe) predominately heel strikers may move closer to initial ground contact nearing the midfoot where the support pods will come into play.

Also, if you run in more traditional 12 mm drop shoes, you may need to gradually incorporate these lower drop (4mm) shoes into your running as your legs (Achilles, calf, and likely the whole chain) may need to adapt. Of course, this is true for all shoes with this scenario.

I dig Teva’s willingness to try a bit of a different approach but it is hard to figure out who exactly this shoe is designed for? One possibility is the Vibram Fivefinger runner looking for a cushier ride within a more traditional shoe fit.

The TevaSphere Speed performs well on tame terrain but lacks the complete skill set to handle technical terrain and be an all-purpose trail shoe.

– David Hanenburg

Women’s TevaSphere Speed Test Drive – Olga King

One day in June I got a package from Teva for new model shoe testing, the TevaSphere Speed.

TevaSpherre Speed Women’s

That whole event happened a few days prior to my and Larry’s trip out West – some running in Wind River Canyon and a lot of backpacking in Grand Teton backcountry! So, lots of testing to be done.

My first time putting them on was during a four hour drive to the beginning of the Wind River run. Let me tell you, all four hours were a pure misery, and I couldn’t believe I had to go for some 14 miles run in the mountains wearing them! They felt tight, squeezing my foot in every direction to the point it hurt – while sitting and not moving! I loosened up the laces, and it still didn’t get any better. That was not something I was looking forward to.

But the day had to start, and so I went…and literally, within a few miles, the foot settled in, the fabric extended (?) and the shoes were feeling quite comfortable. Yay, it may work! So, ran I did: on the dry single track, on the granite rock, and in the mud as the rain poured in, and crossing small creeks and getting wet…and a lot of thoughts transpired from even that first run.

A Closer Look

I hated the color. They claim that “vibrant colors” are great from trails to streets, and it seems that all shoe company lately decided to throw up with piñata, But I can’t stand odd colors that draw attention and don’t fit into the nature of the forests and dirt and mountains. The “squeezing out” arch sides add to the weirdness.

They do the job though, I have to admit. The shoes were very stable! Whether on narrow single track or countering the rocks, they felt like I could always trust them. The other feature of the shoes they promote – the roll off the heel to toe due to rounded heel design – wasn’t that great. I did feel like I was “rolling on”, but in general, especially on the roads or non-technical trails, it felt like I am missing a part of the step, or reminded me of a the Sketchers “perky behind” commercial (full disclosure – I never bought those shoes, but that’s how all the women seemed to look on TV, rolling off the rounded heel).

I have to give big props for the gripping function – there is a reason these shoes are made by Teva, they gripped everything, slicked rock, loose rock, and wet surfaces – safe and sound!

But, a horrible sight discovered for the very makers of Teva, the claim that they drain well – NO. Took the shoes through a number of creeks, snow crossings and muddy dirt trails. It held water (after crossing bodies of water) for a very log time, like, full weight not drained water inside the shoe for a good 5-7 minute stretch. Then the water finally drained but the squishy feeling stayed for a good 10 more minutes (and we’re talking very warm weather days!) before remaining damp and not drying fast.

On a positive side, the shoelaces stood their ground as water shoes requirement ask! They never untied even though I used only one knot, and never moved from place!

While the feeling I initially had of being very tight inside went away with some running, the forefoot of the shoe continued to feel very narrow – and it looked narrow too – and if you have wide feet, or are used to shoes of Altra type, you will not be comfortable. That part was overlooked by designers if they tried to bring their model closer to “barefoot” models. To add to that, the metatarsal pad, the bottom right underneath the ball of the foot, felt very odd at first, and then straight on painful. I am not sure if it was a material used that was stiff – the shoe seemed to be flexible enough – or how it was put in, but the hurt never left, and stayed for couple of days after I’d take a break wearing these shoes. And, for the first time in years I got blisters on my little toes – see the “narrow design” complaint.

With that , the shoes were re-delegated to shorter runs only, having filled 14M and 10M mountain runs as their longest, and then getting stuck with me for 6-8 miles on roads AND trails for variety.

I was hoping that maybe they would feel better on the road as the surface is smooth and push off happens faster, but that was not to be.

The wear and tear seemed to be much faster than I would want to happen in a shoe that cost $120 retail. After only 70 miles, the sides of the outsole began showing tears, small, then bigger.

Another few miles, and the tears began showing up on the fabric on the tops of the shoes, on the stitches, and at the bottom.

That said, the shoe got retired as short hike on days off right now. Someone who has a more narrow foot and is looking for more stable midsole can probably give a different description, but the stiffness in the middle didn’t work for me – I like to “curve” my foot over each obstacle as I go. The shoe is light enough, but far from being in a category of “light” (like Sportiva Crosslights or NB series), doesn’t drain well, has a wide ankle opening for too-much little stuff entering the shoe, has amazing grip on terrain and good laces, ugly colors, falls apart quicker than expected, and the tongue keeps moving too. I would not recommend these shoes for trail runners, maybe for trail hikers whose feet find a perfect fit in them with the correct size.

Lots of work to be done if Teva wants to enter the trail running market.

– Olga King

Some of these I actually want to do...and slome I had done already.

Wrote another article for Endurancebuzz.com. Take a read:)

9 Destination Trail Races (mostly) Outside the TALON Region for Family, Friends, and Beautiful Dirty Fun

Written by Olga King | Topic: destination ultramarathon

It is so easy to race locally. And thanks to various venues we have in our 5-state TALON (TX, AR, LA, OK, NM) region, we have plenty of races to pick from within driving distance and run our hearts out, whether as intermediate “training” races, or as goal races of the season. The distances are also well represented, as are the terrains, from flat smooth wide trails and dirt roads, to roots to rocks (and more rocks, loose and embedded ledges), to hills, to even some mountains (Arkansas and especially New Mexico represent those well).

That said, many of us share a love for travel, for exploration, for more challenges, for goals that are almost too far to reach for, and are wondering what’s out there.

When I offered an idea to David to write a bit about races around the Big Ol’ USA, as someone who had done over 90 ultras all over, from West to East, from North to South, and anywhere in the middle, he shot me an email with potential outline of what he would look for in a “travel destination race” – and as I read it, I couldn’t agree more:

1. Family friendly – travel with a running or non-running spouse and kids, things for them to do, shorter distances available to run for fun while waiting for the “longest racer” to finish
2. Easy access to airport within relatively short driving distance with accommodation availability
3. Beautiful views – May be different from what our Southern Region allows us to see in our regular lives, Mountains of all kinds.
4. Crew friendly (if family/friends choose to commit to help a racer out as opposed to have that fun mentioned in #1)
5. Old school, low key races – community support
6. Terrain description fitting for fun

It was great to have those guiding points, because if it was simply suggesting you to jump on the plane for a race, I’d send you to Zane Grey 50 (we have perfect training grounds in Central Texas, if not for long climbs and altitude, then for rocks and attitude!) or to Hardrock 100 (but I won’t tell you about that one, I am 1 for 7 so far and absolutely need all the juju to get in next year, so back off!).

But I will include races that I, personally, am interested in – and that fit the above criteria as well.

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Bear Chase 100km/50M/50km/13.1M/10km

Website: http://www.bearchaserace.com/

This is a late September race (and you can still get in!), and the variety of distances is awesome! I haven’t gone there, but keep putting it on my calendar. Located in Lakewood, Colorado, it is only a few miles from Denver airport, making travel and lodging blissfully easy and not even worth mentioning – as well as “what to do in the area”. It’s Denver! It has everything a metropolitan city can offer, AND it is 30 minute drive from a Front Range mountains! The race itself is on a single track, relatively flat (4,000 feet of gain in a 100km) and at a mere 5,000 feet of altitude, making running from sea level very possible (if a bit tasking). Fast course, non-technical, with great views! It’s a well-sponsored event and rumor is, a lot of fun.

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Devil Mountain 50M/50km/13.1M/10km/5km

Website: http://www.joingecko.org/info.asp?uid=310

Another Colorado race – and on the same weekend as Bear Chase! A little different location though – Pagosa Springs, and the nearest airport – Durango – is 60 miles away. Makes it more of a destination travel. Durango is a University town with all that comes with (I traveled there for five summers to get to Hardrock 100 “adult camp”, so became a little familiar). I don’t do exploring of towns beyond grocery stores and seek mountains – and this area has it in bunches! Drive 20 minutes – and you are in heaven, San Juan mountains at your feet. Embrace! The weather in September is perfect, and the course is running through some of the most remote and pristine old growth of the US – in Fall colors! The climbs are steep and topping at about 9,800 feet, with 8,300 feet of elevation gain for the 50M version. This is a “graduation” run, but what fun! A Must do on my personal bucket list. And all sweet single track.

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Free State 100km/40M/26.2M/13.1M

Website: http://www.psychowyco.com/id1.html

This is a Kansas state race, very near-by, and some of us TALON runners can actually drive there. You can also fly to Kansas City – a big airport with affordable fare, and then drive to Lawrence, Kansas, where the race headquarters are, in 40 minutes.

The race is put on by a group Trail Nerds lead by Ben Homes. Ben has been a great friend of mine for many, many years. He organized this group and began putting on races (non-profit) a couple decades ago, and they travel in groups, volunteer as a club, and do an amazing job wherever they step. The terrain is pure single track around a lake – at times smooth, and at times rocks and roots remind you of Texas and Arkansas – a typical fair of mix. The aid stations are well stocked, and your crew can get around to any of the locations easily to see you – and enjoy the views of the lake. It’s a late April date for this race, nice mild temperatures, and don’t let the flatness of the course fool you – the times are not fast. But the trip is well worth it, and you’ll get a great hug at the finish line, as well as hot food and music. A very family feel on that one.

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Mokelumne River 50M/50km/26.2M/8M

Website: http://elementalrunning.com/races/mokelumne/

Just so you don’t think I am hung up on high altitude mountains (I kind of am, but I see beauty in many places and love it all!), here is another April race worth exploring – in Camanche Lake, California, a striking distance by car from Sacramento airport.

Brief description of race: The out-and-back course runs along the Mokelumne River Coast to Crest Trail and winds along the Mokelumne River past California’s historic mining towns and old mines. This is a wild flower season for the Coastal West, so you get treated to the beauty of it as much as the infamous Miwok 100km runners do a week or so later.

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Pocatello 50M/50km/20M

Website: http://pocatello50.com (looks like having website issues)

Facebook Page

This is one of my all-time favorite races, and I ran inaugural 50M version, as well as 50M in 2012. The 50M is not really a 50, more like 52, and it features some 14,000 feet of climbs. The race is held on the first weekend of June (sometimes it’s the last one of May), and one year it had a snow-blizzard, but both years I ran it, the weather was hot, sunny and beautiful. The course is laid rather high in the mountains for the flat-landers, but not enough to feel the negative effects of the altitude: it goes between 4,500 and 7,500 feet and tops at 8,500 feet towards the end. A majority of the course is on single-track trail, with sections of dirt road in some spots (but very little, and still high and pretty).

A crew can meet runners in four spots, while enjoying the scenery as well. The organizers had done an amazing job designing and marking the course and staffing the aid stations with the best ultrarunners of the country.

Last year they went eco and chose to be a cup-free race (and plate-free for post-race festivities, so bring your own). They do an awesome cook-out right at the start/finish camp area – yes, you can camp a few feet from the line! For free! So, bring your tent – of course, you can choose to stay in a motel within a 15-minute drive to Pocatello.

Pocatello has a University and some playgrounds, but mostly I would encourage you to check out the mountains. For the “how to get there”, you can fly to either Pocatello, or for cheaper option, to Salt Lake City, which is an hour and half drive away. The race is not for profit, and money goes back to community.

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Bighorn 100M//50M/50km/30km

Website: http://www.bighorntrailrun.com/

Another one I ran twice (the 100M version) and another one of my all-time favorite old school races (I wouldn’t have gone back if it wasn’t, right?). A paradise!

Bighorn is running out of Sheridan, a small town in the middle of nowhere, a very welcoming one for tourists and guests. It doesn’t have huge attractions, but the main street is open to walking with places to eat and shop for Wild West memorabilia.

The race starts as you get dropped in the middle of the road five miles out of town (the 100M) and it is an out-n-back course that covers absolutely stunning mountain “hills” (up to 9,000 feet, again) during prime wildflowers bloom. The rest of the distances get bussed out a certain amount of miles out on the course (different for each race distance, of course), and runners start their trek towards the finish line located in a community town park next to the raging, wonderful cold river where the barbecue and other food is aplenty.

This course is a bit tough on crew driving, but not impossible. Mostly, you want to get there because you want to see amazing colors, Wild West as it was, and challenge yourself with some awesome single track. Flying can be done into Sheridan itself, but it’d be cheaper to get to Billings and drive an hour and half on easy empty highways. Plenty of motels in town and lots of camping places.

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Golden Gate Dirty Thirty 50km/12M/7M

Website: http://dirty30.org/golden-gate/

Another gem in Colorado! Yes, I do love mountains, and since we don’t have them much in 4 of the 5 TALON states, I keep offering to go visit them. Held in the first weekend of June, it is a “shorter” offering of distances and takes place about 40 miles from Denver (and its airport), located in Golden Gate State Park. The course is 95% single track between 7,500 and 9,000 feet of altitude running through aspen groves, pine forests and rocky ridges. For the 50km you get almost 7,700 feet of elevation gain, so hiking will be a must skill. All three courses are a combination of fast smooth running and technical rocky trails. This is a spectacular place to visit and get a taste of Continental Divide Trail.

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Jemez Mountain 50M/50km/13.1M

Website: http://www.highaltitudeathletics.org/JemezMt.htm

Not quite a “destination” for those of TALON living in New Mexico, but worthy of a shout-out. Held at the end of May, Jemez holds a special place for me. There, on the trails, I made a special connection with a guy who later captured my heart and for whom I moved across the country – from Portland, Oregon to Austin, Texas! Must be love…Anyway. Back in those days Jemez course was different, and a raging fire took a bunch of it out, but I still would encourage you to go and visit Jemez Mountains near Los Alamos, an hour drive from Albuquerque airport.

The place has lots of lodging, and many offer discount for the race. It’s a very tight community out there with a homey feel to it, and they give back to the place they live and play in – all the local organizations. The course is hard for flatlanders, as it goes between 7,000 and 10,000 feet and gains a whole bunch (it was 12,000 feet when I did the 50 miler). Lots of nice single track, although dirt roads and some cross-country is involved as well. It is scenic and tough, indeed.

The post-race party is awesome as well, and many great runners frequent this course in their prep for high-profile 100M races.

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The North Face Endurance Challenge 50M/50km/26.2M/13.1M/10km

Website: http://www.thenorthface.com/en_US/endurance-challenge/?stop_mobi=yes

I was going to try and pick a destination out of these series because they offer so many distances – but they also offer so many destinations and time of the year options, I will let you do the honors!

This one is a corporate series though, so it’s different from all the above described non-profit, old-school community organized events. However, the variety is great, and from what I hear (besides the occasional poor marking of the course and an odd feel at the end of not a very tight family atmosphere where RDs are concerned, which you can make “family” with your own fellow runners!), it’s mapped out in beautiful places on ragged terrain and are worth giving a shot to visit a place you may not have otherwise visited: Georgia, Missouri, New York (Bear Mountain was my first mountain range for backpacking when I moved to the country 20 years ago), Wisconsin, Washington D.C., and California as a grand finale.

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All this, OF COURSE, doesn’t even scratch the surface of what our country has to offer!!! But what I wanted to do with this article is to peek your interest in some travel, some exploring, and find a new place you want to go to and run for a bit – and maybe start a conversation on what are YOUR favorite destination races or ones on the bucket list, so we can all benefit!

Happy trails!

– Olga King

Roughing it out at Rough Creek 40 M.

"In the first half of the race, don't be an idiot. In the second half, don't be a wimp." Scott Duglas.

This month has been - and is scheduled to be - one of the busiest I had in a very, very long time. So much so that sometime last week I exhaled on Facebook a scream that I am totally exhausted. I am not here for details of my life, it's a running blog, so, on the training side, I pushed my training, cramming it high-school and college finals' style, all in 3 weeks of finally being free of injuries. In the midst of it, I cut a tip of my finger, and then managed to totally burn my eyes at work while starring at UV light with no protective gear (dumb, I know) The two photos below are taken exactly 24 hrs apart (by accident, the first portraits a finished hat as a product - any takers?).

I was surprised Larry still loved me - he even drove home for lunch and brought me soup from Whole Foods!

I couldn't see a darn thing for 24 hrs. I couldn't open my eyes, close my eyes, read, watch TV, type on computer, sleep...I could just lay down on a couch and moan. Nice. The first night, as I awoke in screaming pain, I was on a verge of having Larry take me to emergency and was certain I am going blind - the only reason I didn't go to emergency was because I didn't remember when my medical card was, and I didn't want Larry to yell at me (he tends to do that when he is worried about my stupidity). I did send him at 1:30 am to Pharmacy - and it takes a lot for me to send someone anywhere even in a daylight for getting help for me. So, it was bad.
36 hrs later I managed to drive myself to work with my eyes closed (this job will kill me one day, or my ability to guilt myself into not taking sick days).
Another 24 hrs later I was up at 4:30 am to do my last long run with 20 hill repeats. Make it 21 for a good measure, just one-up from my last prep for San Diego 100.

I completed it in surprisingly great time, with surprisingly strong legs, and 5,000 feet of elevation gain - all on 2 streets of Austin. Yup, when I am focused, I am THAT focused.
And then I went to the corner store and stocked up on dark chocolate The well-deserved reward was worth the effort. Yes, dark chocolate is my vice, bite me!

I didn't taper through the next week, as I was still some 25 days out of the goal "destination", and I put a fast 9-mile tempo, and some random other runs, and the last 2 weeks I was also the most consistent in the last many years with my yoga practice - like, 3-4 times a week (don't ask me how I did that between other things I can't speak of). I wish I could just yoga and run...but that's a dream that ain't happening, so lets move on...

Rough Creek races of Endurance Buzz Adventures is a relatively new series, but David Hanenburg does a fantastic job organizing, marking, putting things together, and doing it in environmentally friendly style as a family business. His wife Wendy is a sweetheart, and his two little blond cherubs are adorable as the kids can be (and helpful too).

Not a clue where I stole this photo, but this is David H. and his son.

From race document.

A week prior the race David sent me a profile. I mean, he knew this was chosen as simply my last long run, a dress rehearsal of sorts, just because I wasn't sure I can will myself into another long run in the summer heat of Texas all by myself (well, I could have...but I also wanted to support his developing business). I actually even had Larry sign up for the same distance for the same "dress rehearsal/longest run" of his training for the Ozark 100. BUT my poor husband managed to come down with a flu! In Texas summer! He was down with fever from Wednesday to Sunday, holding on the slightest hope he might make it, if anything, then to support me - and with 102F on a thermometer on Friday at 4 pm it was obvious I am off to a road trip by myself.

And because he wasn't coming (and I am too lazy to put a tent up by myself, and then take it down in the dark), I skipped taking a tent for the campground we reserved, planning on car camping. Well, let me tell you, it is still summer in freakin' Texas! And I am not 5 feet 90 pounds child to fit in the back seat of the car - which, by the way, is a Honda Civic year 2005! All this provided for an interesting night. Cramped in my own sweat paddle, with windows open trying to not think of male predators after lonely half-naked women and wild Texas critters (at 11 pm someone at the bathrooms yelled: "It's a snake, it's really is a snake, stay away!"), hugging one leg over front seat, one arm out the window (hell with the snakes!)...5 am couldn't come early enough. It's official - I am too old for camping before the race, car OR tent. Even if the race is a training run. Camping is only for backpacking trips. Note taken.

So, back to the race profile. As someone who prides herself in being a mountain runner, and as I am "working" on my Grindstone 100 profile/split chart, this picture above didn't bring any emotions. Like, and? I also knew that the course is OPEN to the weather/sun exposure, is double-track for the most part (not my forte at all), the temps are hitting back into high 90's (even though I am 2 hrs North of Austin), and there will be some scramble hills called "Rusty Crown". Bring it, I am simply testing my fueling (alternating BRL Endurafuel and VFuel gels) and Pearl Izumi M2 shoes I got for free as a possibility for running 100M races.

So, we took off, marathoners and 40-milers, at 7 am, and I am, like, running on this flat dirt road, and thinking why the hell is my Garmin clicking low 9's? That is certainly stupid, right? Um, yes, it is. Where are the hills??

Race photo official - I bought them yes, I paid for them all 3.

Right after first AS at about 3 miles (and yes, trust me, later I learned to appreciate ALL aid stations 3 miles apart, and 4 miles section was way too long! ha!), we began first hike up. On vertical scree. OK, fine. We got to run down similar vertical scree right after. Then repeat. A couple more times. OK, I got what everyone is talking about - and I saw many stop dead in their tracks at the tops of those hills trying to scout the downhill. I even solicited a handful of advice: "Use the alpine ski image - feet angled, wide stance, side to side..." - to Texans who may have never skied in their lives. But for me it was fun, as was the hike up (there were a couple of hills that either required hands on knees, or grabbing onto the not-sliding rock, but it was all pretty short and good for mind break of monotony).

Race photo official. Fat girl climbing. Too busy for Paleo lately.

The Bowl AS came and left, and we went for some rollers in open terrain, and then into the back-side of the Rusty Crown, with more of those steep loose scree climbs and descends, where you see the other side as you come up, some through-cross-country connectors, and relentless beating. Back to the first AS (manned by my clients Brandon and Megan Walters and a couple of guys I knew too, thanks!), and back on the flat double-track to the loop's end (the race was 13.4M repeated either 1x, 2x or 3x). 2:30 on the clock, and I am like - Whoa, I planned for 3+, I will have to pay for it!

Photo E-Buzz

And pay I did. The 2nd loop was a complete disaster. The sun was high, I was dehydrated - carrying 2 (two!) bottles, somewhere in the Bowl I hooked up with the guy as we resolved to walk the whole thing. His name was Andrew, and he spent 4 years in Moscow studying international business. We passed time talking about Russia, customs, families, and how tough Russians are versus softie Americans (not my words!). I walked faster, but his long legs carried him up the hills sooner, and yet he'd be the one a little stuck before each downhill...and eventually I entered that "Walters" AS ahead of him. I stood there, pouring water down my throat (it's a cup-free race, and you have to use your bottles), telling Megan and Brandon how I am planning to drop at the start/finish AS. I mean, 27 miles is a good long training run, in fact, it'd be my longest for this back-end of my season by a full 2 miles. I am exerting far more energy than I am willing to spare with less than 3 week before my goal race. I am too heated up, cramping (I am determined that MY cramping happens from dehydration far more than from salt deficit, because I was so on cue with salt, it's not even funny, but I sweat more than I can consume liquids). The shoes I was testing sucked for me - soft, awesome, all's good, but the tops of my toes (where the nail bed is) felt some serious rubbing (which later happened to be raw) and altered my style (even walking). So, I stood there for good 5 minutes, since I wasn't in a hurry anymore, and walked out eventually resolved to quit as Andrew rolled in, asking him to catch up (poor soul, apparently I talked him into dropping at the end of that loop with my positive self-talk, and he didn't even plan on it!).

Race photo official

And as I walked towards the end of this 2nd loop, I felt energy coming back to me. Cramping getting down to nothing (holly water!). I tried to run a few steps gingerly, but then didn't allow myself to do too much of that stupid stuff. Then I saw another client of mine, Alex B., running strong back into 3rd loop - in 2nd overall! - smiling ear to ear. All that was doing tricks with my "determined to stop" mind. May be I can try different shoes? Walk some more? Lets make a decision when I come.

"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit."-George Sheehan

Photo E-Buzz

The thought of going through the Bowl - or the Crown (no matter how fun it seemed on the first loop) was kind of ugly. I ran into the AS and told David I am about to drop. Just in case he should fill my bottle with ice. Just in case I'll put on the shoes I wore when driving in (which I thankfully dragged to the start/finish area for no reason, I never change shoes, but thankfully those were Patagonia's new trail racing flats I got also for testing, soft and not broken in at all besides the drive!). I complained that I had to bend over and pick up too many empty gel packets (half-marathoners?). I told him I hope that the softness and the width of the Patagonia shoes will let my toes to not scream (although the soles were too thin for the rocks). And that I am going to walk out to that first AS on the course and come back.

I stood another minute chatting with Angel, another client (and a wife of that fast Alex B. running second) manning the start/finish AS. Then I chatted with a tall guy who asked what I want - and I told him to go plant some trees for the shade! And then I power-walked out.

The Beast. Photo by Stephen Winton

And then I ran some, walked some, and repeated it - and made the 2.7M in 35 minutes or so? And as I entered the visibility of AS, I saw Megan standing there smiling like she knew it - and I was like:" You don't know me, you don't see me, pretend it's not happening". She laughed, as she filled my (both drained) water bottles with ice and water, and I rocked it out. And as I did - the cloud cover came down! Like, holly cow, that guy at the previous AS was Jesus! He didn't grow trees, but he threw clouds for me! Shade! And instantly the life turned from head back on its feet. I passed a number of guys, trying to persuade them to walk with me, but they had none of that (and laughed as they couldn't jog at the speed I was walking). I got those Rusty Crowns on both sides of the Bowl like nothing, and even ran some sections of the Bowl's road. I was repeating how great it is - to learn another lesson opportunity provided: to not give up, to believe, to hydrate and turn around, to believe, and to inspire all those who were there today and whom I couldn't let down.

So, that was it. My both 2nd and 3rd loop's time was 3:15 for each (though I putzed around in-between for quite long), and my finishing time was 9:06. I was 2nd gal and 7th overall (by default, I'd say, it doesn't really matter, as 21 folks dropped from 40 miler due to extreme heat). The winning gal Jessica was a highlight of my trip - a total hoot I'd take 2 hr drive to having meet! She passed me somewhere mid-2nd loop, cheerful and strong (and I totality cheered her on) and beat me by almost half an hour. We talked non-stop at the end, as we took shower together (don't you get ideas now! the resort had cabin showers, and we just took turns while chatting, modesty be damned), and I loved how free and free-spirited, and strong, and positive she is. All the best in your Rocky 100, girl!

I was never that crusty-salty after a run, even in TX. I also was burnt on my skin pretty red.  But at least I had tested out new Patagonia shoes sooner than intended!

I got to eat a LOT of breakfast taco's David provides for after-race, like, a lot! Yum! And chat and share stories with those I knew, and meet new people, and exchange war stories, and give David a hug (after telling him how much I hate him), and congratulate Alex B. on his awesome run.

That was not my course, or my weather, or my shoes. But it was an ultra run, and that all that mattered. It provides me an outlet that reminds me that I can be strong, there - and in life.

Two and half weeks. I am excited. Virginia, I am coming to have lots of fun in the mountains!