Race date: Feb. 4, 2012

Huntsville, Texas

Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Ultramarathon (I would not and did not quit)

My second 100 miler, 12th (?) ultra distance

Photos at very bottom

The day dawned bright and clear, not a cloud in the sky … nope, that’s the way a fairy tale starts, NOT the way a 100 mile ultramarathon race report starts. Let’s get down to business.

The morning began at 3 a.m. Driving up to Huntsville, Texas, the rain started. Along with a very entertaining lightning and thunder show. It was dark and humid and wet. Upon arriving at the state park, the rain poured and I had to run over to the little house and pick up my race number. I was soaked. I was trying to find the house in the middle of the darkness and pouring rain. A big, white extended pickup truck was pulling up behind me and I motioned for him to roll down the window and I asked if I could hop in. He said sure. So I hopped in and perched on a kids car seat. We finally got to the race number pickup place and his wife and I jumped out and ran to get our numbers. Then I ran back to the shelter and got ready.

My first crew person, Jeremy, was driving from San Antonio and got caught in the bad weather, so I had to change plans last minute. Not what I was counting on. I left my nutrition bag and clothes bag in Devin’s dad’s car and took what I would need until I would see Jeremy.

5:50 a.m. Devin and I headed over to the race start. Here is a photo courtesy of Drymax Socks and Ian Sharman.

The start of Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Ultramarathon Feb 4, 2012 ( Drymax photo)

We all huddled together under the start/finish tents and were given the countdown. Then we all joined in 4, 3, 2, 1 and we were off down the trail! In the pouring rain, lightning, wind and thunder. Yep, ultras/ ultra runners don’t let weather stop them!

The Rocky Raccoon 100 (RR100 or RR) course is considered an “easy” 100 compared to other 100s. But everything is relative. Today was no exception. Since RR started keeping track of the weather on race day 14 years ago, there has never been a drop of rain. Today we got 1.90 inches. In a matter of hours.

Most people go think of a muddy buddy where they pay someone to make the mud. Today’s race course was a perfect muddy buddy FOR 100 FREAKING MILES. Writing this, I still can’t believe I made it as far as I did.

Back to the race start.

Devin and I ran together for the first 20 miles. It was pitch black for about the first 90 minutes. Combined with the heavy rain, it made for an epic race start, to say the least. We came upon the DamNation Aid Station (AS) and was surprised they didn’t have salt out. This was the beginning of the very long and lonely six mile loop. On the way back, they had salt out- praise the Lord- and I dipped an orange slice in it. Sugar+salt=perfect combo. It was funny because an AS volunteer gentleman came up to me and asked “do you know you just dipped that in salt?”. I smiled and said yes. I think he thought I was losing it mile 155 But I wasn’t. Just a little trick I’ve found that works for me. I don’t eat dairy or grains or candy so I have to get the salt/sugar where/when I can. On to Park Road AS. Thank God Jeremy had arrived and I had some much needed Gen UCAN and some sweet potatoes. Then it was on to Dog Wood – the start/finish line.

Devin and I were still running together and we ran the first 20 miles in just over four hours. It was just after 10 a.m., I was trying to find Jeremy and he was nowhere to be find. I was shouting like a mad woman “Jeremy! Jeremy! Jeremy!” and then others joined in. It was funny and frustrating all at the same time. I couldn’t linger much longer, so I left the AS and headed back out for loop 2.

I was still feeling fresh and great. So I kept saying “free high fives, free high fives, free high fives!” as the runners and I passed each other (the course was out & back here). Just that little bit of human connection is what I LOVE. The majority of the runners got a big grin on their face and joined in the high five party. I need to wear a shirt that says this!

I had my phone at this point as the rain had subsided and I called Jeremy. He was at the next aid station and I gave him instructions as to what food I needed. I caught back up with Devin and he was hurting. I trudged on ahead and got to the Nature Center AS and instead of Chia Seeds soaked in water, it was Sunflower Seeds. I downed them anyway. At this point I called Shannon and asked her if there was anyway she could come up earlier. She said yes. Praise the Lord. I re-caught back up with Devin and we made the trek to DamNation AS. This stretch was horrific. The mud was absolutely insane. Freaking insane. I’ve run in all different conditions and this was shoe – almost short – sucking mud. On the way to DamNation AS it was downhill, on the way back uphill. My right hip flexor has been having some issues, but has not really bothered me on my runs. Until today.

I would not quit.

Got to DamNation AS, had some vegan potato soup (which later I found wasn’t vegan, just GF) and then started the six mile loop once again. This section sucked. SUCKED. They need at least one person out there cheering you on. As with all ultra races, crowd support is only at AS. You run with yourself and yourself alone. Minus the company of those other ultra runners & the trees and the mud…

I ran with Devin a little longer then he said he wasn’t feeling well and held back to walk. I ran on. Made it through DamNation AS, up the muddy hill, to Park Road AS where I met Jeremy and he told me Shannon would be at Dog Wood AS. I couldn’t wait. I would get to change shoes. And socks. And get some much needed duct tape!!

Made it to Dog Wood AS and did this loop in five hours. Still on track for a 24 hour finish. I sat down and we began to change out my socks. My feet were on FIRE and blister care was critical. Poor Shannon got inducted to the world of 100 mile crewing mighty fast. She pulled off my disgusting shoes and socks, poured baby powder in a bag, dipped my feet in the bag, removed feet, put vaseline on my blisters, then duct tape on that. It is a long process! Fresh socks, same shoes. I felt like a new woman. I ate some sweet potatoes w/ Hemp Hearts & Chia Seeds, some nuts, cashew “cheese” and date rolls (I made or brought the majority of all my food). Good to go.

I would not quit.

Back out for loop 3. I was in high spirits. There was a little section leaving Dogwood AS where family/friends were cheering. And they cheered for everyone else too. They (complete strangers to me) started cheering for me as I came through the clearing. I ran over and gave them some high fives. One guy gave me a hug. And there was a guy in a wheelchair. I gave him an high five, a hug and a kiss on the check. Yes, duct tape does wonders. See, some women like diamond rings, I like platinum duct tape. Half kidding, half true.

Soon I was at Nature Center AS, got what I needed for the next four hours (no crew access at Damnation AS) and headed off down the trail. The same people at the clearing above were also at this clearing and once again we all high fived each other and the wheelchair guy got a kiss on the other check. It made me smile to bring joy to someone!

It was Mile 43 at this point and I was iPod free up until then. I knew I would need some music to keep me going on this lonely stretch. I also had to get headlight and flashlight as darkness would be setting in. Once again, I ran down the muddy stretch, to DamNation AS and out on the lonely six mile loop which feels like a 100 mile loop. There is a reason why they call it DamNation, let me tell you. Man, is it dreadful out there. During this loop I saw elephants, heard voices, saw voices (really, just a runner and pacer running past me), and other creatures that don’t live in Texas. It was dark, kind of cold. I had been running for about 12 hours at this point. It becomes less about your running and more about keeping your mind from running. If that makes sense. You’re tired. Wet from all the rain (and sweat). Muddy, stinky …

I had my iPod on shuffle and 2 of the songs that came on made me laugh. The first was Run in the Night by Jars of Clay (probably my favorite band) and part of the lyrics goes like this “for you I can run in the night”. Pretty perfect. God will give you strength when you need it!! The second was Savior by Andrew Ripp. I practically sprinted up a few hills. I should have just listened to that song the rest of the night!! Go find it on iTunes and download. Such a great song!

During this entire loop, my feet were pretty much on fire. Although I had started out with clean, dry socks and precious duct tape, I couldn’t keep them that way on the course. I ran through some executing pain. I have to be honest – the thought of quitting kept crossing my mind. There is no way to properly describe the pain. No words can do the pain justice, but I kept telling myself the pain of quitting is worse than the pain of not finishing. And so I hobbled on.

The other thing that made moving forward a challenge was benches. The race is on a state park so the trails have sporadic green benches all over the five 20 mile loops. So I saw the same beckoning green benches many, many times. As the day turned to evening to the middle of the night, it took just as much courage to put one foot in front of the other as it did to NOT sit down!!  I wanted so bad to just lay down and fall asleep and give my feet a break. But I never gave in to temptation.

I would not quit. 

I made small talk with other runners as we passed each other – either coming in or going out. Laz and I chatted for a bit then he took off. I love making friends in the middle of the might in the middle of the dark forest! At one point, this charging bullet ran past me. I was in such a daze I didn’t realize it until later, but it was Hal. The winner of the 100 miler. Feels great to be lapped!

Finally made it back to DamNation AS. Had some potato soup. Then on to Park Road. I was in bad shape and as runners passed me going up a hill, I saw it was my friend David with his pacers. They stopped and talked with me. Gave me a hug. Told me to keep at it. He was on his last loop – (I think?) it’s all so blurry to me. Soon enough, I hobbled into Park Road AS, collapsed on a chair and cried. Shannon asked me what was wrong and I kept saying “my feet, my feet, my feet.” My goodness, my feet. They didn’t hurt, they were on FIRE. It felt like I was running on hot coal. Not warm coal, HOT coal. I stripped and changed shorts and said I would love a pacer for the next loop. I put on a beanie and got some gloves. It was cold out. I stumbled into Dogwood and again collapsed on the chair. Devin, Alida, Shannon, Rick were all there supporting me and we got me back up and ready to run loop 4 – miles 60-80. Rick could see that I was struggling and he gave me some encouraging Bible verses to read. It was just what I need- my soul food as I like to call it.

By this time it was 10 p.m. Little did I know this was the end of the beginning. I put away my iPod and my pacer, Jeremy & I headed out for loop 4. I could barely run, but I could keep a fairly decent walk up at this point. So we walked. Much to my chagrin. I figured moving forward was better than moving backward!

I would not quit.

Remember it is pitch black and the only thing we have for light is our headlamps and a little flashlight in my hand. My biggest fear was tripping and falling. Not getting eaten by an alligator. The course has a lot of roots and if you aren’t careful, you WILL trip and fall. I had several close calls all day and I kept catching myself. Talk about a long ab workout! Running in the dark only intensifies it. I carry a handheld water bottle, so if I went down, my water bottle and flashlight would go flying. Not something I wanted to add to running a 100 mile race. Also, somewhere in the middle of a night a tree had fallen on the trail. I wasn’t sure if I was going deeper into the dark side or if it was for real. It seemed real to me, so I hopped over it.

We got to Nature Center AS, got food from Shannon and prepared yet once again for a long loop. At least I had company! We estimated it would be about 3:30 a.m. till we would see her again, so she went and washed my socks so I would have clean socks for the remainder of the race. So sweet. Jeremy and I left the AS and walked out. I was so exhausted. And the pain was a level 11. Or 13. It was high, I know that. Back through the really muddy section. It kept getting worse because each runner had to go through it twice. (There was also a 50 mile race at the same time). So, oh, 5,000 people kept trying to make a new path. The trail went from being a few feet wide to several feet wide. To no avail. And in the dark, you really can’t see what you are running into. Oh, let me tell you, it was here I questioned why in the world we/I do this. 100 mile ultramarathons are freaking insane. While I was trying to avoid the worst of the mud, I got stabbed in the face by a sticker bush, whacked by another tree branch … muddy buddy races? Those are for wimps.

Made it through and on to DamNation AS once again and out for ANOTHER six mile loop. There were some muddy, slippery sections here too. That just went on forever … It was here that I started to lose it (again). I saw all kinds of things. I guess running and being up for hours on end will do it to you. My pace went from a death march to a death walk to a death hobble to a death crawl. I literally thought this loop would never end. The pain was fierce. Stabbing. Fire. I MADE myself keep moving forward but all I wanted to do was curl up in the trees and just sleep (maybe die). At this point runners & their pacers kept passing me and I was between stages of frustration and sleepwalking. Oh to be running like them!!

I kept calculating the time and the 24 hours finish time was LONG gone. I would be lucky to finish by 9 a.m. at this rate. Other runners kept running past me and they were on their fifth and final loop. Demoralizing. I still had one more long, lonely loop to go and I wasn’t even done with this loop! I tried to stop thinking about it and told myself to give it my all. Everything I had and then some. And still some more. I told myself that a finish is a finish. Be it first place or last place. Never give up.

Jeremy and I finally made it back to DamNation AS, got some words of encouragement that I would make it and up the hill we went. We passed some of the AS volunteers cars and I would have given anything to sleep in them. Instead I was on my burning feet.

I would not quit.

I haven’t mentioned this until now, but my nutrition and hydration were perfect. I usually don’t pee and that is not a good thing for an ultra. Let’s just say that the RR course has my DNA all over it. I was peeing up to two times per hour. I don’t think I was drinking that much more than normal, but something was up in my system. I laughed to myself as the tree visits progressed throughout the day. From a full on squat in the first 20 miles to barely a squat during miles 60-80. Like I always say, we were born to pee natural .

As we limped on, I kept thinking when this would end and how in the damned world I was going to make it another 20 miles. Only by the grace of God. As we were approaching Park Road AS and Shannon, my right foot became REALLY bad and my tears flowed. I knew I had to do something about it or I would never make it to Dogwood. Shannon was right there and kept asking me if I was OK. I think my face said it all.

I would not quit.

I went to the AS tent and sat down. My right hip flexor was in major pain (it felt like a bobcat clenched on to to it and wouldn’t let go). So it was dreadful to sit/stand. We took my right shoe off, and survived the damage. This AS didn’t have the medical supplies that Dog Wood did, so we all did the best we could. My blisters were showing through the duct tape from mile 40 – that’s how bad they were. I had blisters on tops of my foot, the bottom of my foot, the ball of my foot – in fact it’s probably best to name the areas I didn’t have a blister. We used my race bib pin, cleaned it off with a shout wipe (said a prayer) and I started popping the blisters. As I did the first one, the AS lady was like “that was an impressive blister – I’ve never seen one that big!” At least I get a PR for that. Ha! We took care of my foot, re-duct taped, put my shoe back on as I screamed. And I thought to myself, child birth has to be easier.

I. WOULD. NOT. QUIT.

The AS lady (never got her name) told Jeremy to get me moving, that it would hurt a lot, but make it to Dogwood AS as I had to be there by 6 a.m. I hate, HATE cutoffs! I never even thought I would have to worry about a cutoff at RR. But was I wrong. I knew we had to hustle. I got help out of the chair (that hurt like a son-of-a-gun) and barely hobbled out of the tent. Oh. My. God. Help. Me.

We had 4.5 miles to cover in under an hour. Granted I had just run 74 miles by this point in some pretty terrible conditions. But SS does not give up. Nor quit even when the pain makes me curse. I knew I had to give it beyond the deepest layer. I started thinking about areas that didn’t hurt – which weren’t many! – like my ears, my nose, my pinky finger … and started finding the gumption to run. More like a hobble to start with, but turned into a run. This section had an incline that kept getting more & more tricky to go up. It was like trying to catch a greased pig. While running (or walking). The traction was pathetic. But to my knowledge we all made it up .

I tried to stress to Jeremy how important that cutoff was and I think he finally understood it. He is a 15 minute 5Ker, so he knows speed. Which was perfect. He started pushing the pace and I kept up. I kept catching myself as I tripped over stupid roots, but never once fell down. Score. We kept running. People heading back out for their fifth and final loop. I kept telling them I would join them. Jeremy kept pushing the pace and I kept following his lead. It was nice not to have to worry about running. Just follow him. We ran up hills. We ran down hills. We ran over the flat sections. I ran down the demons. As we neared the end of loop 4 and mile 80, we knew it would be close. I ran even harder. I crossed the line at 6:01 a.m. ONE FREAKING minute late. Joe (the RD) came over to get my chip and I asked him if I could please finish this race. I have never not finished anything I’ve started. He said he couldn’t. I lost it. But I was so exhausted I had no energy to put up a fight. Shannon gave me a big hug and told me she was proud of everything I did. Running 80 miles is not exactly easy, kiddo. I fell into a chair and got wrapped in a wrap blanket. Devin and Alida came over and heard the news. We were all heartbroken I think. It took eight hours (including AS stops) to run loop 4 – the first loop took four hours. You can see that I was in major pain.

What makes it even harder to accept is that we ran those last two miles in 16 minutes. I have NO idea where I got the energy to fight through some pretty intense pain, but I did. To God be the Glory.

I would not and did not quit.

So there it was. The end of Rocky Raccoon 100 mile ultramarathon as an official DNF. BUT I want to make this part VERY CLEAR. I did not quit. I was forced to not finish. SS (Sarah Stanley) does not quit, will not quit. I even asked to go back out and run the fifth and final loop, but I was told no.

Am I bitter? I have to say no. I gave it my all and then some and still some more. I believe that God had me be a minute over the cutoff in order to protect me. Am I disappointed? Of course. It is not easy having a public DNF, but I believe that God has a reason for it and I will bounce back and become stronger then ever and use it as opportunity to show others God always knows what he is doing .

I ran for 24 hours and completed 80 miles. 14.5 hours of running in the dark. I am proud of myself for fighting through some very painful times.

Shannon drove me over to the shelter where Alida gave me some warm PJ pants and a sweatshirt. I pulled off my shorts, put the pants on, threw the sweatshirt on over my clothes, and she helped me into the tent and onto the air mattress. I couldn’t move my right leg, so I had to lift it with my hand like a pulley system. It hurt like hell. Rosie was in bed because she fell and hurt her knee and still ran 76 miles until she, too, was forced to drop. Alida took a photo of us in bed. Neither of us could move and we were both cold. I took some NyQuil and was out like a light. Apparently I got up in the next hour or so and went to pee outside with the help of someone. I’m not sure. Then I fell back into bed and was out for a few more hours before we left the camp site around noon. Man was it a long day.

When we got back to Devin’s, I fell on to the bed and Alida covered me up with a blanket and put my feet up. They were SO swollen. I was out. It hurt to move, so I just stayed in one place for a very long time.

I’m sure I’ll write more about RR100, but that is what I have for now. I’m still tired. I can move better. I finally ate my first meal in 48 hours. Washed my hair and my face. Changed out of my sweaty clothes. Walked down the hall. See, it’s all about perspective .

Some closing thoughts.

Each time you run a 100 miler, you attempt to run a 100 miler. A 100 miler is freaking insane (as I said on loop 4 to the trees). I ran & finished my first 100 miler Aug 22/23, 2009 and did really well. Placed eighth overall in the women and third in age.

Crew/pacers can make or break you. If you ever get the chance to crew or pace or volunteer for a 100 miler, do it. You won’t have any regrets. I’ve been on both sides. From a runners perspective, we can’t wait to see you. You are a huge piece of heaven to us.

I want to thank my crew that grew by the hour for being there for me. You have a hard job too and I don’t underestimate that one bit.

I want to thank all the volunteers for giving many, many hours to help all of us runners.

My nutrition/hydration were PERECT. Never felt better. Plant-based food is the way to go, IMHO.

Each time you attempt to run a 100 miler you are doing something that 99.9 percent will NEVER do. And that is something to be proud of.

Ever want to be inspired? Go crew/pace/volunteer for a 100 miler. It will change your life.

If you wish to sponsor a child in Africa, like I do, you can go here to do make a difference for a little boy or girl.

Running 100 miles is freaking insane. And that’s why I’ll attempt to do it again.

In the meantime, I’m getting some sleep. And plotting my next 100 miler attempt.

PS: make sure you read this, some insight and perspective on ONE MINUTE.

peace, sweat, love: life

A sample of the race course conditions.

My feet at mile 40. Ready for duct tape!

Shoes after 40 miles. And these are clean.

Swollen feet about 10 hours after finishing running 80 miles.

Devin cheering Sarah on as she goes back out to run miles 40-60. Still smiling!

Its been a little over 10 hours (written Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012) since I’ve stopped running and I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the grueling day and night.

After I woke up from a deep sleep, I was inching myself across the bed and this thought popped in my head “if you could see me now.” So I’m writing a bit about that first.

If could see me now you might see this:

• Crawling across the bed to charge my phone because it hurts to move.
• Swollen feet the size of footballs.
• Blistered, mud-stained and cut up (from duct tape) feet.
• Looking at my water bottle 12 inches away and calculating how much energy it will take to get it and deciding it will take too much.
• Haven’t eaten a real meal since Friday evening and still don’t have an appetite.
• Still in PJ bottoms, sports bra, race shirt, long sleeve shirt, jacket and sweatshirt (same clothes 36 hours and counting). And shivering. 
• Lifting my right leg with my hands in/out of bed and any sitting/standing position because it is in so much pain 
• Sweat-dried hair.
• Sound asleep and being jolted awake with a soft scream as my feet blisters pop and continue to swell.

Stick around for the full, juicy report! And if you have any questions, post in the comment section.

peace, sweat, love: life

Here it is. Race eve. Not just any race eve, but a 100 mile ultramarathon race eve.

It is Friday evening and I’m in Houston at Devin & Alida’s place. Devin is also running the 100 miler. Go us I’m just about to attempt to fall asleep at 7pm. 3:30am cometh quickly! 

I know people have questions about ultras, but particularly 100 miles in general.

#1) What will I eat?

I’ve written about it before, but aid stations (AS) don’t really have real, nutritious food. They have processed sugar, candy, etc. For this 100 miler I’ve made my food or bringing everything with me. At the AS I will eat cold, hard, boiled potatoes dipped in salt, fruit dipped in salt and hot chicken broth at night.

Here is the food I made and brought (and bought if we are going to get really technical!)

Sweet potatoes. I bought 7 LARGE sweet potatoes. I may never want to eat another one again! I mashed 5 and chopped the other 2. After mashing I added fresh, grated ginger, sea salt, a little honey, brewers yeast, cinnamon and a little Goji Juice. Once I filled the 25 little baggies, I added soaked chia seeds and hemp hearts.

Chopped sweet potatoes with fresh, grated ginger & cinnamon

Sweet potatoes with chia seeds

Sweet potatoes with hemp hearts and chia seeds

Row of sweet potato nutrition!

I will eat some pure energy nut bars (Lara Bar & Bearded Brothers), sunflower seeds, Q Energy, nut butter, and Gen UCAN. *I have no idea why it flipped the photos around. I didn’t have time to fix them. You’ll have to turn your computer or smart phone around if you are really picky

Gen UCAN (mix with water)

Justin's Nut Butter (almond)

sunflower seeds

Lara Bars

Bearded Brothers Natural Energy bars (with chia seeds)

Q Energy Drink (mix in water)

Alida also made cashew butter (raw/vegan) and I’ll have some with veggie chips. All the food I will be eating is additive free, chemical free, natural, and/or homemade. Just the way I like it

That’s the food part.

#2) Travel

For a big race (I think a 100 miler qualifies), I like to be at the race 2 days before hand. And smart decision that was. You never know about flight delays/weather/other. I flew into Houston, TX from Denver, CO. And not a moment too soon. A HUGE snow storm moved in just hours after I flew out. Hundreds of flights were cancelled. Thank the Lord I booked my ticket to fly out on Thursday.

Shannon picked me up at the airport and we made a quick trip to the store to get some ingredients (tuna, avocado, tomatoes) for my lunch. Then she dropped me off at Devin’s. I made my lunch, took a late nap, went and got all the sweet potatoes for race day and salmon for Friday’s night pre-race meal.

I had a good night of rest (although I was getting nervous) and woke up refreshed Friday morning. To a weather forecast of 80% rain and 83% humidity. 24 hours till go time.

I made 2 hardboiled eggs mashed with avocado and cut up cherry tomatoes for breakfast, then started preparing sweet potatoes! As they were baking I got some work done, shot a video, and tried to relax . Not much luck there. Ha! My best friend Rachel called me and then my friend Terry called and prayed with me. Definitely better after that!

Took a nap, mixed my sweet potatoes up and laid out all my food for tomorrow. This whole nutrition thing takes a lot of planning, prep and hard work!

Had salmon, peas and sweet potatoes for dinner and going to bed early. We have to be up at 3:30am and at the race by 5am. Race start is at 6am.

Pre race dinner!

I’ve trained hard for this. Put a lot of time, energy, and investment into it. I am ready by the grace of God.

My prayer is that I will run strong and that God will use my feet to honor and glorify him. And that children in Africa will be sponsored.

Thank you to my friends, my supporters, everyone that encourages me, and yes, even to the haters- you actually motivate me to do a better job for the Kingdom of God. So thank you!

I’ll be posting live updates as I am able (80% chance of rain might hinder that plan) or my crew will.

Till next time, may you be encouraged to go do something positive, something hard, and do it well.

Oh and you don’t want to miss tomorrow morning’s article. It’s really good if I do say myself.

Sweet dreams!

peace, sweat, love: life

In 11 days I will be embarking on my second 100 mile ultramarathon (and 12th ultra distance). Gulp. I’ve been writing my – ahem – detailed nutrition plan, crewing description and other ultra descriptions. While ultra vocabulary is second nature to me, in talking with my roommate (Kelli) I realize it’s not. So I thought it would be fun to do a little “ultra talk.” Enjoy!

Oh and before we go any further, I’m running 100 miles to help get 100 children sponsored in Africa with World Vision. Would you consider sponsoring a child with me?

Ultramarathon Definition First of all, an ultra is technically classified as anything over a marathon (26.2 miles). But running 26.3 miles isn’t quite what an ultra is. Sorry, nice try. The four classic ultra distances are 50K, 50 miles, 100K and 100 miles.

Crew Crew is typically used for 50 miles, 100K or 100 miles. Crew is your own personal support team. Sherpas. Moral support. Sock changers. You get the idea. Your crew can be 1 or 10. The crew meets you at the designated race aid stations. While the aid station (AS) are fully stocked with provisions and friendly faces, it is really nice to know that you have a team eagerly awaiting your arrival. The crew’s job is to get you in and out of the AS as quickly as possible. The clock is ticking! They will make sure you have the food you want/need, refill water bottle, pull your shoes off, change socks, bandage your feet if you have blisters, give hugs, pep talks…. Pretty much whatever you need. You might only see them for only five minutes in 90 minute or four hour stretch, but just that little bit of interaction is awesome. When you are out running in the big, spooky, dark forest, YOU CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THEM. It gives you something to look forward too. Crew is awesome. Side note: if you ever have the chance to crew or volunteer at an ultra (particularly a 100 miler), do it. The experience is life-changing.

Pacers Pacers are typically used for the longer ultra distances (100 miles). Pacers are other runners who will run WITH you, give you moral support, make sure you don’t wander off to see the teddy bears and encourage you. They are not mules (meaning they don’t carry any of your nutritional supplies or other). They simply run with you.

Ultra Environment Ultra races are primarily run on trails. Cross country. Translation = hard, challenging, not for the faint-of-heart. And if it’s an ultra, you can bet that the course will be unusually tough. From rocks to boulders to crazy elevation gain to LONG climbs to nasty weather (either freezing cold or really HOT)… Yeah, ultras are pretty hardcore if I do say so myself!

Aid Stations (AS) Aid stations are little pieces of heaven in the middle of hell (oops, was that too negative?!) AS are part of the race and as an ultra runner, we really look forward to them. Personally, I use each AS as incentive to get to the next one. While most of AS have a lot of junk food, my go-to food is cold, boiled potatoes dipped in salt, oranges, red grapes, watermelon … I don’t eat grains/dairy/processed sugar so my options are usually pretty limited. This is where crew comes in handy. The volunteers are always friendly, helpful and some have themed AS. Aid Stations are always a highlight of my race day! Not all AS let you have access to your crew, so you make the most of what you have.

Drop Bags Drop bags are small bags (not a giant suitcase) you’ve pre-filled with what you think you’ll need. If an AS doesn’t allow your crew in, a drop bag can be handy. Depending on the ultra distance, you might include shoes, socks, your special fuel/nutrition that you use, etc. Drop bags are at certain AS- not all of them.

Ultra Times If you have run marathons and are looking to run an ultra, first of all, congratulations! Second, throw your marathon times out the window. Marathon times mean nothing when it comes to ultra running. Remember previous definition of ultra surface? Cross country is hard. Fun, but hard. Running an ultra is more about enjoying the forest and challenging yourself vs time. By all means, have a goal time, but be realistic. For a 50k, you can add anywhere from two to four hours to your marathon time. 50 miles, double your marathon and then some. For 100 miles, survive .

Cutoffs. Cutoffs are time limits. You have to make it to aid stations by a certain cutoff time. Make the cutoff!

Ultra Conditions I touched on this briefly above. Ultra race conditions are usually pretty challenging (as if running 100 miles wasn’t hard enough!) Depending on location and month of ultra you can expect snow, rain, hail, lighting, bears, cougars, bobcats, snakes, steep climbs, mud, leaves, slippery leaves, roots, hidden roots, rocks, hidden rocks, beautiful scenery, boulders, crazy elevation (Leadville or Hardrock anyone?)… having fun yet? When you run an ultra be prepared for ANYTHING. While they are fun, they aren’t easy.

Have I whetted your ultramarathon appetite? I hope so! They are thrilling, exciting and will challenge every part of your being. If you are looking to run a ultramarathon, let me know!

Peace, sweat, love, life.

Photo of shoes after finishing Vermont 50 Mile Ultramarathon

I’ve been traveling the last week (not new news), enjoying some down time with great friends and of course, TRAINING. Just because I’ve been on the down low, doesn’t mean I’ve been slacking. I ran 55 miles last week. Not a lot – my training plan goal is to run up to 90 miles per week. The key? Staying injury free. My approach to this 100 mile training is to do quality training vs quantity. We’ll see how that goes with Ms. Overachiever :).

On Black Friday I ran a slow 20 miler. While everybody else was fighting crowds, pepper spray and other obnoxious things, I was moving my body! It felt amazing to get outside, enjoy the fresh air and RUN. 

Ran a trail 10K with my friend Rachel on Saturday, which was SO much fun! Which meant I ran 26.2 miles in a day . Sunday was a recovery and Soul Food day – went to Genesis Church – will write about that later, Rachel and I made a healthy lunch, Kale Chips, which the kids devoured, watched a movie by the crackling fireplace, took a nap, made a healthy Apple Crisp, cleaned the kitchen, listened to Christmas music, then went to their bowling league. Where I might have to take up bowling a little more frequently as I managed to get quite a few strikes! It was a total blast and nice to have some down time.

Monday, Nov. 28 I ran six miles, did stair intervals, full body weights and core work to make a total of three hours of training for the day. The weather wasn’t the best (rainy), but training goes on! That evening, I was invited over to Steve Wallen’s (pastor at Genesis Church) home for dinner with his family. And yes, I brought a salad with my special, secret salad dressing . It was another great evening spending time with like-minded friends!

And if I thought the weather wasn’t nice yesterday, today was even WORSE! It poured all day and by the time I went out for my run it was snowing. Now I love to run in the snow, but this was bipolar snow. Snow, ice, sleet, rain, and the wind. By the time I returned, my face was ever so slightly cut up, my eyes red and stinging … but hey I got in 11 miles and that’s what counts! All in a day’s work .

A human icicle! It was just a tad chilly out

I have another busy week ahead. Flights, a marathon Sunday and endless other life stuff (like a move), but you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am very grateful for the gift of running that God has given me and I intend to put it to good use.

Oh and parting thoughts. As I was running, I was thinking how the world would be a much happier place if they just put their health second (God first). Not going shopping for crap that you can’t take with you. Sadly, Americans thrive on their instant gratification.  

Oh and in case you are new here, WELCOME! I am training to run my second 100 mile ultra marathon (Rocky Raccoon) on Feb. 4, 2012 and attempting to get 100 kids sponsored for Team World Vision. Why not make a difference this Christmas and give the gift of life? You can sponsor a child by going here. Make sure you put my name in the athlete box so we can keep track!

Peace, sweat and love life!!

Happy Monday kids! And when I say kids you can be 3 years old or 73 years old – we’re all kids at heart !

In the USA it is Thanksgiving week and food temptation abounds! And maybe that time of year when working out gets put on the back burner. Why throw away all the hard work you just did for the past 11 months? NO! Don’t use the holidays as an excuse to slack.

Pro tip: sign up for a race taking place in January 2012.

Personal application: perhaps you need a little kick in the pants. Well, I aim to please. Yesterday, I officially signed up to run BACK-TO-BACK marathons. Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012 AND then Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012. Two states. 26.2 miles x 2. Glup.

Mississippi Blues Marathon in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012.

BankTrust First Light Marathon in Mobile, Ala., on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012.

I’m currently training for my second 100 mile ultra marathon (Rocky Raccoon 100) and I need the miles. So what better way than to run two marathons in a weekend? I think it’s genius, but that’s my humble opinion .

So what January 2012 race (or fitness class or other fitness goal) will you sign up for? If you need ideas, you just let me know!

REMEMBER! Don’t use the holidays as an excuse to slack!

When I was training for my 1st 100miler in 2009 I kept you informed via this site PLUS videos. Partly because I got questions on what my training was like and partly because when I am 80 years old it might be fun to show my grandkids what grandma did way back when.

So. Here we are again. November 18, 2011. I am once again embarking down the 100 mile (that’s running folks) training path once again. Once again I will be attempting to run 100 miles on Feb 4, 2012. I officially registered for the race on November  7, 2011. Glup.

I just ran 2 marathons in 7 days and feel effing fantastic. I have 77 days till D-day. My goal is to get to the start line of Rocky Raccoon 100 mile ultra HEALTHY. I will have a lot of travel in these next 77 days so I will make REST a key part of my training. I have a couple of marathons, potentially a back-to-back marathon weekend the first week of January and the rest is all about staying injury free and strong. Both physically and mentally.

AND with everything I do, I’m not just running 100 miles for the hell of it. I’m praying and hoping to get 100 kids sponsored in Africa for/with Team World Vision. 100 miles. 100 kids. Would you consider sponsoring a child in Africa so they can have clean water, HIV/AIDS prevention and care. nutritious food, etc? I sponsor a child in Africa and I can’t wait to meet her someday!

Will you also help the children in need? Contact me for a child sponsorship packet or go directly to here. In the box where it says “athletes name” if you can please put mine (Sarah Stanley), that would be great (World Vision keeps tally of this number of the kids I will get sponsored). I want to see this goal fulfilled just as much as I want to complete my 2nd 100miler. THANK YOU!!

So, here it is. Nov 18, 2011. I ran 10 miles, rode 15 miles and did an hour of yoga. I feel great. And that’s saying something given that it’s almost the end of a pretty grueling year. I am grateful to God for giving me another day on this earth to make a difference.

Peace, sweat and love life!

So, its been a few days since the completion of my 100 mile quest. I ran. I finished. I didn’t die. I didn’t see teddy bears. I didn’t see people on skate boards. I did see the eyes of an bobcat, raccoon, sunk, deer and other animals. I remember each AND every mile. Seriously, I really do.

The race director asked me at the awards ceremony “how was the race?”. My reply? “It was a hell of a race”.

And indeed it was. It was one of the hottest days South Dakota had in a while. Of course it was race day! It was around 95 for most of the day. Best part? NO SHADE!!!

I remember my feet. They started hurting very early on. Too early in fact. Like mile 10. I remember coming down the hill around mile 45. I landed on my right foot and heard a pretty loud “pop”. I burst into tears. You know it had to hurt. I don’t cry. I can not describe the pain. There are NO words for it. Pain isn’t the right word, brutal is. I hobbled to the aid station and sat down. They took my shoe off as I tried not to scream. My ENTIRE heal was COVERED with blisters. **Side note** only later on did I really see what damage I had done** At that moment I could not fathom that I had 55 MORE miles to run. After duck tape, Vaseline and hugs from a very kind lady (Debbie), I set off down the trail. I will ALWAYS remember that moment.

I remember running in the dark thinking this is crazy. I have been up for over 15 hours and I am STILL running.

I remember running in the dark. Alone on the trail. Half being scared. The other half trying to run as fast as I could to the next aid station.

The complete race report is coming. I am still pinching myself that I finished. And finished well. Oh and didn’t die:)

OMG!!! I really did it! I had NO doubt in my mind that I would finish the race, but when I actually came around the corner, saw the finish line and crossed it, I was in shock. Releaved. Happy. Excited. No longer a 100 miler virgin. (Yes, I thought about writing that line the last 10 miles:)).

It will take a few posts to fully do justice to the increadable feat of running 100 miles in 24:58. For now, I am going to answer some questions.

Q: How many pairs of shoes & socks did you use? ~ Jen

A: I changed socks only once.  I believe around mile 45. And regrettably I wore the same shoes the whole time. If I run this distance again I will change shoes. My feet REALLY took a beating. Ouchie!

Q: Were you surprised how much pain set in after? ~ Erica

A: I will admit, yes I was. I am usually able to bounce back pretty quickly, but 100 miles is NO JOKE. After the excitement of finishing then I felt (and saw) how much damage I really did to myself. The pain was intense for sure.

Q: Why were you not able to swallow? ~ Erica

A: Good question. I am not entirely sure why (maybe a doctor can help me out on this one). I think it had something to do with my auto immune condition. I have had this issue many times before. I was really hoping that it would stay away though! I was forced to drink & eat. Just was hard to do:)

Q: How did you keep your mind busy while running? ~ Amanda

A: Yes, what do you think about for 25 hours- STRAIGHT??!! My first thought was to make it to each aid station. My second thought was to remind myself not to die. Third, thought about how many life’s I would reach with what I was doing. Fourth, I thought of what I would do when I would finish. Fifth,  I just got in a zone (especially the last 50 miles) and kept one foot in front. Six, I thought about new business ideas. Surprise, surprise. Seven, I thought of all the people encouraging me. And I think a lot more:)

Q: What support did you have? ~ Sue

A: I will go more into depth on this later, but I must say I owe my finishing to my AWESOME friend Gregg. He was at every aid station. He took such great care of me. From ice cold towels for my head/neck to making me fluids (and forcing them down me) to asking me what I needed, to helping bandage my feet to cheering me on AND to also staying up for 25+ hours!!!  Gregg, let me thank you right now. You made my race a success.

Q: What was the hardest part of the run? ~ Jeff

A: It was the miles during the day. They sucked. It was 95 degrees in South Dakota and a VERY dry heat. I think miles 30-50 were the toughest.

Q: Did you know the recovery was going to be this tough before you started? ~ Fred

A: HELL NO!!! And I am glad I didn’t! I would have still ran it, but would have known what to expect after the fact:)

Q: How did you begin to trust yourself re: knowing when & what to eat while on long trek? ~ Amy

A: I had to trust Gregg and I also knew that if I didn’t eat or drink it would be very tough for me to finish. This is also where my training came in. I trained with food and fluids, it was time to trust that it would get me through. I also had to  have faith to change things up when the currant plan wasn’t working.

Do you have a question? Let me know! I will be happy to answer them!’

Photo by Bast

Trust your gut/heart feeling. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Its not WHY you feel that way. But its because you DO.

Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography