Sun Mountain 50k

I hate writing about bad races. I didn't even blog about my good race last month, so why acknowledge this one? Though it's never fun talking about a less than stellar time, one learns much more from bad races than good. So, in an attempt to forget about the day and move on learn from experience and maintain positivity, here goes...

Local races are a bit weird for me. It's hard to have the same level of anticipation when the course is on trails I run frequently and I didn't to travel anywhere or camp at the start. Because the race starts at a quite leisurely (by ultra standards) 10am, I got lots of sleep and awoke to a beautiful, slightly breezy day. One huge benefit of a later start is I'm able to have my daily latte and still have time for the milk to digest. I enjoyed my latte, made some fresh carrot, apple, ginger and rhubarb juice (I was dubious when Sam suggested it, but the rhubarb added a nice tang and balanced out the sweetness of the carrot. I highly recommend it) and had my standard pre-race meal of oatmeal. We left in plenty of time, so we got to Sun Mountain with time to mosey down to the start from the overflow parking area and chat with running friends before watching the kids' race.

Before the race, feeling good.

The 25k and 50k share much of the first half of the race and with about 300 runners, I knew I wanted to go a little hard at the beginning to get in a good spot before hitting the singletrack along Patterson Lake. I ran with Caitlin Gregg for a bit but was relieved when she went by, given that she was doing the 25k and is a much stronger uphill runner than I (those skiers and their uphill abilities!). My goal was to run the long climb up to Thompson Ridge in a sustained manner. Each time I run this race, whether it's the 25k or the 50k, the climb seems neverending and I go beyond my limits. I felt pretty good and was happy to be able to run the entire thing. While I wasn't hating the climb, I was still glad to see The Methow Valley Nordic Team dolling out watermelon (my absolute favorite race food) and cheers. Everyone knew me, so I got a huge boost from all the encouragement. Thanks, guys! I just had a little more climbing to go before my favorite downhill of the entire Sun Mountain trail system. I hiked the really steep part before the descent, and let myself go on the down. Then, I started to feel my right knee. I love running downhill and in ten years of ultrarunning, I've never felt my knees.

The past couple of weeks have been crazy busy. After my fun Women's Trail Running and Yoga Retreat I immediately drove to Port Townsend to teach my sports massage class. I came back for more work, then drove back over to finish the class, did some VO2 max testing (a blog to follow), and back over here to work and launch my modelling career (yeah, right) with some photo shoots for Sun Mountain Lodge. And do this race. Just writing all that makes me tired. I mention all this not so much as an excuse, but as a reminder that I can only do so much. My tendency is to get sick when I have too much on my plate, so my big goal was to stay healthy during this silly busy time. I managed to do that, but it should come as no surprise that I was unable to train as I would have liked, and while all the things going on are great and add a lot to my life, something has to give. Running gave. So, as I'm running down the trail in slight pain (nothing devastating but I could tell it wasn't something that would go away), I had two options: ignore it, slow down and run for several more hours and likely have to take some time off from training while it settles down; or stop. With Speedgoat 50k as my key race this year, it was an annoying but relatively easy choice. While I love Sun Mountain and James' races, this race didn't matter in the grand scheme: I decided to run it as a gauge of how everything is going so far. And what a gauge it was. I now know exactly what I need to do to have a successful race in July and can get right back to training in a day or two. As for my knee, it's sore on my weaker side, and I know what to do to get that to respond as well.

On a positive note, thanks to my sponsors, La Sportiva and Goat's Beard for getting me to the start line. The new La Sportiva shorts are AMAZING! I've never been a tight-short type person, but I've converted. They have perfect mesh pockets on the sides for gel and are oh so comfortable. Goat's Beard, in itty-bitty Mazama, has a great selection of Sportivas as well as pretty much everything else you could possibly want for running, climbing, back country skiing, all with a friendly smile. Check it out and grab a tasty treat at the Mazama Store on your way back over the mountains. Additionally, a big thank you to James and Candice of Rainshadow Running, who put on a top-notch event as usual. The pizza, beer, soda, lounging, and well-marked trails were much appreciated. If you've never run trail races before, theirs are top-notch. If you're not yet up to ultra distances, Candice hosts the Bellingham Trail Running Series, comprised of shorter distance runs with the same great party after each race. Finally, it's always great to see familiar faces at these races. I love the trail running community and even with a bad race, it's a fun day.

So while the race didn't go as I wanted, it served its purpose. I'm still quite grumpy about my bravado in thinking I'd be able to have a good race given the circumstances, but I'll get over it. Everyone has bad races; if we didn't, the good ones wouldn't feel as good as they do.

Mazama 1/5/10km - Kids Run Too!

As Memorial Day weekend approaches and the Methow Endurance Mazama trail races come ever closer, we'd like to remind everyone that there are races for ANY AGE, and ANY ABILITY! We have a great 1km Kid's Race (free of charge!) that always draws a big turnout. We also are introducing this year a 5km Stroller category, where anyone can compete in a 5km race, the only requirement being that you are pushing a child stroller (child must be present to compete!) - with all the buff young parents running about these days, we're hoping for a great showing in this race!

The Kids' 1km provides a great first race experience!

And as always, we have the wildly-popular 5km and 10km races. The 5km this year runs on a course which initially joins the 10km runners, before peeling off in a lollipop fashion to return to the start/finish area. In doing this we are hoping to give some younger runners a chance to chase down some big boys in the 10km before they part ways on their courses.

And don't forget about the World Famous Pancake Breakfast, happening right after the race. You can purchase a ticket for the breakfast with your entry via Webscorer, or buy one at the breakfast after your race. Pancakes, after all, are the best post-race food!

We can't wait to see you all next weekend in our sunny paradise. Train well and we'll see you at the start!

Sun, Trails, Flowers and More

After planning our wedding last year and fretting about the weather (for good reason...we had two separate but lovely down-pours), I decided to refrain from analyzing forecasts, especially for events. So far it has served me well, as we had perfect weather for The Rattler in April (with snow the following day) and uber-perfect weather for the Women's Trail Running and Yoga Retreat last weekend. The mossy folk from the other side of the mountains may have been a little parched with the dry, hot air, but everyone seemed pleased, and some got a head start on acclimating for Rainshadow Running's race at Sun Mountain next week.

This retreat is my little baby; I love bringing women together to share a weekend of running, yoga, and good food. It has become one of my favorite weekends of the year and I'm already looking forward to the next one. I'm continually amazed at how a group of strangers becomes a cohesive, supportive group of friends.

The first evening we went on a little shake out run north of Winthrop, prepping our legs for the coming days. Dinner consisted of roasted veggies and lentil salad, a salmon dip with veggies and crackers, as well as a mixed green salad, followed by yummy chocolate cake. We chatted and got to know each other a bit, then dispersed for a full night's sleep. Friday morning brought a bright, sunny day, and we headed to Riser Lake for our first "real" run. We all did the four-mile loop, then most of the group continued up Lewis Butte for some amazing flowers and views. From there the group split, with one going back down the trail to the cars, another going over the west side of the mountain and back, and another doing a longer loop consisting of aspen groves and sage. We got back to River Run Inn just in time for lunch: perfect nutrient timing for quick recovery.

The day was hot by now, and the River Run Inn was perfect. They  have a huge lawn out back, next to the river, with several hammocks that are oh so comfy. Between lunch and yoga I gave some technique pointers for newer trail runners, then got ready for yoga. Becky led a wonderful practice out on the lawn, with the sound of the river as our soundtrack. Yoga loosened us up for our recovery run (or nap, depending on what people wanted), and off we went, getting back just in time for dinner. Perfect meal timing again! After our meal, one of the participants and nurse practitioner, Angel, gave a fascinating presentation on the endurance athlete's heart and the dangers of NSAIDs. It gave us a lot to think about and I'm so glad to be more informed on the topic.

Saturday was was more of the same, though we ran at Pipestone canyon. Again, we had perfectly clear, warm (borderline hot) weather, with lots of wild flowers. We all ran a nine mile loop, then some added more. Next came lunch and yoga, then Rita, the owner of Winthrop Mountain Sports, came to talk about all the different kinds of running shoes, and the importance of shoe fit. Dinner was on our own, so a big group of us went to Kelly's, while others stayed in Winthrop.


For our final run, we went to Patterson mountain, adjacent to Sun Mountain Lodge. It was again a perfect day, and the loop provided more mountain views and flowers. Thanks to everyone who made this a great weekend. I hope to see you next year! If you can't wait for next year, or want to have an adventure weekend with your husband, check out our Fall Endurance Getaway, in October!

Looking up-valley. Photo courtesy Kristen Smith, Methow Valley Photography.

VO2 Testing at Seattle Performance Medicine

My training for skiing has changed a tremendous amount in the past few years. After the winter of 2010 my coach and I decided that, while my anaerobic system was quite well-defined and my speed and strength ample for the task, my aerobic system was leaving me lacking in my events. The sprint event in xc skiing is unique in its combination of maximal power demands AND aerobic demands via recovery and often long courses. I would ski well through qualification time trials and perhaps the quarterfinals, but then fall short in ensuing rounds. We decided to put a strong emphasis on aerobic training, and in the last two seasons we've seen huge gains in training markers and overall results.

But still, in this past season I felt something missing in the sprint. I would qualify well, and finish the quarters well but in the semifinals I'd still feel a missing gear. We couldn't determine what the culprit was - aerobic? anaerobic? strength? It's difficult to identify the missing link, and with a training regimen that attempts to cover all these bases we were left at the end of this year scratching our heads for answers. In addition, I've long wrestled with appropriate diet and nutrition - how much is enough? What is my optimal weight/body fat/carb-to-fat ratios? So many questions...

In February when I was bemoaning all these looming questions, Alison recommended that I schedule some metabolic testing at Seattle Performance Medicine, and an evaluation with Dr. Emily Cooper. Alison first heard Dr. Cooper speak several years ago at a running camp, and was impressed with the straight-forward and intuitive information on nutrition for endurance athletes. I hadn't taken a VO2 test in several years (2007 was the last), so I thought at the very least it'd be interesting to see my improvements in capacity.

Metabolic testing can take several forms, but in general it offers much more than that coveted max VO2 figure (point of maximal oxygen uptake). Along the way, a well-conducted test can determine your aerobic and anaerobic thresholds, your percent utilization of carbohydrate, fat, and protein at various intensities, and your metabolic rates during exercise and at rest (how many calories you're burning during the day and during exercise). When combined with expert analysis and summary these data can change your athletic life, for sure.

My last race of Super Tour Finals was the National 50km; I had four full days between that event and my testing, so I made sure to eat lots and rest plenty. You should treat a testing day like a race: you want to be well rested and well-fueled beforehand. The objective is to reach your absolute maximum effort, so any lingering fatigue from workouts, races, or busy living will affect the outcome.

The Seattle Performance Lab is a highly professional, well-run facility. My testing was conducted by Brady Wright, the Exercise Physiologist who manages the testing lab. He got me started with a resting metabolic rate (RMR) test; this one measures how many calories you burn per day just maintaining normal function. It also can show how much of those calories come from fat, carbohydrate, and protein. And all you have to do is lie down and breathe through a mask for 16 minutes! My RMR was 2750 calories, so I need to eat that much plus whatever I burn during daily workouts to keep my body firing on all cylinders. Needless to say, I've been eating probably 50-75% of what I should be, so already I was getting some great data.

Next was the VO2 max test. While protocols vary from test to test, the basic premise is that you run on a treadmill (or cycle, or row, or rollerski) at increasing paces and incline until you can't go anymore. The test is broken into time stages, and the pace and incline are increased after each stage. The whole time, ventilatory data is collected via a face mask and inputted into a computer which graphs it for the physiologist to determine where you're at.

After the max test I did an anaerobic level test, where I ran at increasing speeds on a flat treadmill, again breathing through the mask, until Brady identified via the graphs that I had reached my anaerobic threshold, that point at which my body is demanding more oxygen than I can take in.

After all this data was accumulated and summarized it was time to meet with Dr. Cooper. When we sat down I told her my plight, that I was having trouble finding my top gear in the latter stages of a sprint. Dr. Cooper admittedly didn't know much about the xc ski sprint, but her ample knowledge base of other endurance activities gave her plenty of grounding to identify my weak points. First off, she said, I'm burning WAY too much fat at high intensities. Basically, when you're pushing as hard as you can you want your body sourcing glycogen, which metabolizes much faster into ATP (your body's ultimate energy supply); fat takes much longer. Most sprinters are burning 100% glycogen at their max; I'm burning almost 20% fat! She said that this has probably developed due both to a lack of appropriate caloric intake (especially of carbohydrates), combined with a tremendously strong aerobic system which keeps my body in a more efficient fat-burning state even when I'm asking for quick-fueling glycogen.

The second factor she identified in my search for answers is the close proximity of my anaerobic threshold to my max VO2. Traditionally in endurance sports this is a great thing, as it allows one to go very fast/hard and close to their maximum without going anaerobic and developing a high level of lactate in their system. But for sprinters and power endurance athletes, you need to have room between these two figures, an "anaerobic capacity", which offers you those extra gears. See, lactate is actually a good thing, not only as a secondary fuel but as a marker than you're tapping into your fast-twitch muscle fibers which only burn glycogen (and hence produce lactate). Without that broad anaerobic capacity these fibers don't have much room to run, and your power at high speed/effort is limited.

So how to proceed? First I need to eat more. Lots more. And more carbohydrate. And secondly, I need to back off on my high aerobic training because that system is already too strong for what I need (were I a marathoner, I'd be sitting pretty). I need to put a big emphasis on anaerobic and strength/power training to build that anaerobic capacity under my max VO2. To measure these improvements I'll use lactate monitoring during workouts, to look for high lactates which reflect utilization of fast-twitch fibers.

In all, this testing has provided multiple new avenues for my training, and for the price ($350/session) I consider it well worth my time and money.

Importance of Spring-time "Adaptations"

Springtime in the mountains is a beautiful thing; after a long winter of cold and snow and wet the spring sun is about as welcome as a slice of warm pie after a long trail run. And whether you're an avid skier during the wintertime or just try to maintain your fitness through gym work and the occasionally snowy outside run, when spring and snowmelt arrives it's tough not to jump into a huge volume of fun, warm, out-of-doors activities.

The spring is a valuable time for endurance athletes as it offers us our first chance in months to engage in the sports we've had to put on hold since last fall, and this can be a good thing. Training different muscle groups, introducing diversity back into your routine; it can all boost your general fitness up to a great level. But there should also be prudence in your approach; jumping headlong into running if you haven't tied up the shoes in a few months could easily lead to minor injury. Make sure to ease up your volume gradually, and look for softer terrain like trails instead of roads to restart you impact-heavy activity. Also, I think it's a great idea to always start each spring with a new pair of running shoes. Not only is it exciting to pull a great-smelling pair of kicks out of the box for the first time in April, but that old pair from last fall is likely broken down.  Especially if you used them in the winter, when road salt and debris can weaken your old shoes' integrity, having a new pair gives you the best chance of protecting your initially-weaker running joints from the pounding.

Core strength, that old chestnut, will continue to be your best friend (if you've got it) or your worst enemy (if you don't) this spring. A strong core will allow you to dive into new activity without major injury, as it ties together all the extremities which are suddenly baffled at the change in movement. Lacking strength in your core means everything from leaning forward on a bike to pounding up and down while running will be absorbed by your arms and legs, leaving them more susceptible to overuse injury. Get in the gym and do some strength, you!

Alison (in grey shirt, right-of-center), about to start her first running race of 2013, the Squak Mtn Half. She won.

Given all of the above, what's the best way to embrace spring? Do everything! Get on your bike, go running, go backcountry skiing and carve some corn. Take advantage of this time to get involved in lots of different sports, because as the year wears on you will eventually want to hone in on that one sport where you goals reside.

Here's our Methow Endurance Springtime Checklist:
1. Buy new running shoes (try La Sportiva!)

2. Try and include at least three different sports in your fitness routine each week

3. Try a sport you've never done before, or haven't done in a long time

When's the last time you stood at a place like this with skis on, having made it there by your own steam? Backcountry skiing is excellent strength and aerobic training; it's pretty damn fun, too.

4. Set goals! Spring is the new year for athletes - want to try a 50-mile trail race? Search the race calendars and pick one. Interested in moving up a wave in the Birkie? Register for the race now and plan your training year around that goal. Having a focus and working that focus with a coach can dramatically increase your odds of success, and beginning in the springtime gives you a long-range plan.

5. Enlist the help of a Methow Endurance coach. We can help you structure your training and proceed in the best possible manner toward your goals, and starting in the spring gives you and us a blank slate to work with, ready to fill with high-quality training and preparation.

2013 Rattler in the books!

Exiting the canyon, before the climb. Photo by Methow Valley Photography.

Today marked the first running of the Rattler Trail Run, Methow Endurance style. We were graced with warm temperatures and sunny, albeit breezy, skies. Many local runners applied their skiing fitness to dominate each race. The times to beat for the half-marathon were an impressive 1:29.36 by local runner extraordinaire and MVSTA director James DeSalvo, and 1:40.40 by other local extraordinaire, Laura McCabe. Laura passed her speed on to her daughter Novie,  who at age 11, was first overall in the 4-mile race. In the 9-mile race, part-time resident Dave Cleveland won with a time of 1:07.44 and Twisper Heidi Dunn took the ladies' race in 1:21.36.

Directing this race was particularly fun, knowing several people used the event as their entry to the trail running world we love so much. Thank you to everyone who participated, the volunteers, and our amazing sponsors, Winthrop Mountain Sports, La Sportiva, Clif Shot, and Rocking Horse Bakery, who make this event possible.

Full race results can be found here.

Methow Valley Photography took some wonderful pictures out on the half-marathon course, that can be found here. See you next spring!

Having fun in the sun. Photo by Methow Valley Photography.

Methow Endurance Fall Getaway

Fall is my second-favorite season here in the Methow Valley (can you guess my favorite? It rhymes with "splinter"). While New England does a great job of marketing its fall foliage, nothing beats the beautiful collage of yellows and reds from the Aspen and Cottonwood trees mixing with the deep green of the Ponderosa pines. Quite often as well we experience an Indian Summer where the temperatures will rise into the 70s during the day before cooling at night.

Having planted that delicious image in your mind, we are excited to announce our first annual Methow Endurance Fall Getaway! We want to show off all the great possibilities of Fall by offering you expert-guided riding and running on the trails and roads around Sun Mountain Lodge. The weekend is open to both men and women, and features options for both trail running and mountain biking. Saturday and Sunday mornings start with invigorating yoga sessions, and then will feature small coached sessions in each of the above sports; in the afternoons there will be guided tours of each, accommodating all ability levels. After your adventures, relax in one of the Lodge's hot tubs or pamper yourself with a spa treatment. In the evening venture out to one of the Methow's delicious dinner options or dine in at the Lodge's four-star restaurant and wine cellar.

Like our highly successful Women's Ski and Yoga Retreat, our partnership with Sun Mountain Lodge for this weekend will include special room rates for participants, and breakfasts and lunches will be included in your registration fee. In addition to the outdoor activities we'll be offering yoga sessions and evening discussions on training and nutrition.

For all the information you'll ever need, and to sign up, go to the Getaway website.

Details:

When: Friday, October 18th to Sunday, October 20th

What: mountain biking, trail running, yoga, fall colors, friends, food, relaxation.

Cost: $280; includes two breakfasts and two lunches; yoga sessions; all coached and guided sessions in biking and/or running;  wine and appetizers on Friday night; evening discussions; and shirt. Room and other activities are extra and must be arranged separately.