USATF NE Cross Country Series 2022

TLDR: I completed the series and while i thought it wouldn't bother me, showing up to be DFL at all the races(and I was for 3 of them) was tougher than I thought and got the best of me on the last race, I did finish though. Everyone I encountered at the races, from the runners to the volunteers to the organizers were encouraging and supportive. I felt welcome and was treated as I belonged on that start line.  In the end I don't think I'd do this again solo but if the team needed a 5th female to be a team, I'll be there. 

Jumping for joy that the series was over.

This year I stepped way outside my comfort zone and ran the Cross Country series.  I was debating what to run for my fall races. Since making the decision to coach Track and Field in the spring, which meant I spent a lot of time with a whistle watching other run and not a lot of time running myself. After the season was over I honestly didn't do much running the rest of the summer before I started in on coaching little kids running cross country. All the endurance I had built up last year was gone. In the end it came down to training, I wasn't ready to run the New England Half marathon and didn't see myself getting to that level in 2 months, but I knew I could run cross country. I just wish I had found the internal push to train on the level I should have to improve at each race, rather than feel like I was treading water. 2022 running season would be summed up in my excuses were stronger than my desire to succeed. 

Cross country is intimidating, Anyone looking at the finish times of the last 10 runners can see, my 11-12+ min pace didn't belong in that field. I was assured many times that I did and the finish line would be there when I finished.  I will say, that those organizing the races were right, The finish line was up, there were people cheering me on and only one race I had course confusion because a volunteer was talking with someone and didn't hear me ask if I was supposed to turn. Any of my negative comments in regards to my performance are from me, no one at any of the races said anything. Runners would run by on their warm up today and tell me "Good job" as I puttered along. I was surprised at the number of runners that would run the course to warm up, while a race was actively taking place. 

There is something in the headspace to showing up to a race and knowing without a doubt you will be last.  Not maybe, not it'll be close, but absolutely last and last minutes after the previous runner. I'll admit it got me and I wanted to skip Attleboro, especially when I knew it was only me, no one else from the team. I was last in 3 of the 5 races. The other two I was second to last. In hindsight it doesn't bother me, I'm proud of my accomplishments, but it was hard to start. 

Race 1 - Great Brook Farm XC race in Carlisle MA

They had a youth race so my son was able to run as well. He ran 7 min miles on those trails. Several of my teammates were there cheer and to run.  I really got to see the atmosphere of cross country with the team tents. A volunteer was kind enough to wait for me at each turn and run to the next so I wouldn't get lost. This was the last time anyone said to me, don't worry I'm slow too. Cross country slow and general 5k runner slow are on two entirely different scales. Overall a nice race. I might run this again, just so my son can run the youth race. This was also when I was reminded, cross country races are no frills, no water stops and no snack tables. 

Race 2 - Brown Bear Invitational in Attleboro MA

This was the race I wanted to skip. I knew I would be the only Gate City Strider. It was too far for my co-competition coordinator to show up. I knew I'd be last and it was a 6k, which isn't that much longer but it does mean my time will be slower. The family joined me and my son helped me warm up, excited that I was going to run a course he ran last year. The start was huge, so many college teams, seriously the intimidation factor was high. It didn't help that I got confused at the number of loops and ended up thinking I was close to done before I was close to done. Plus because of loops, I was being passed. Several, quite a bit more than previous race by the fast runners, many said good job and flew by, I tried to be aware of where I was and stay in that lane so I didn't get in their way.  Being slow also meant I got to see the finish. The weather was rough, the grass was wet, and I was not in the right sneakers. This course condition needed spikes or trail shoes and I was in well worn brooks ghost road sneakers. I did get to wear my arm sleeves for the first time in a race environment, which I needed and my outfit was on point and perfect. 

The best part of this race was heading down to Providence to meet my best friend at Pizza Js for food and pinball.

Race 3 - Wayland Cross Country

This race also had a youth race. My son ran with one of his teammates.  It was a slow and difficult race and he had just run his elementary school race the day before. He still did well, but not as well as he wanted to. As for me, that hill was brutal, but it was also my friend. This was the first race I wasn't DFL. I noticed at the start a woman who wasn't dressed in team gear and I suspected that she was my competition, if there was really any competition when you run in the back. I was determined to keep her heels in my sights. I did succeed is being able to see her over all the grassy fields, which I have decided is my least favorite running surface. Then we headed in the woods and hit that hill. That was where my years of mountain running shined. I was already at max plus heart rate, I could not run that hill, so I switched to power walking and marched right past her.  I power walked until I had my heart rate in order and I cheered her on. She responded that she had never run a trail race before. Huge, huge kudos for tackling not just a trail race but a cross country one as her first. I have no doubt in a road race I would have struggled to keep her in my sights. 

Race 4 - New England Cross Country Championships - Franklin Park, MA

It was 74 degrees in Boston that day as I got started. It was muggy and it was November. The heat did me in. I could not get my heart rate under control. I could have really used a water stop, but cross country doesn't have them. The course itself was pretty, interesting, well marked, and aside from the volunteer that didn't hear me ask if I turn, easy to navigate. The hill that goes around the no-longer in use bear cage was a decent hill but not like a set of stairs. I had several team mates there as well, plus my family. After the race we headed into Boston to explore Chinatown and the Commons. While the weather was rough for racing it was perfect for exploring Boston. Oddly I was not last, which was super confusing, but I saw many people cheering on the last runner. This race also completed the number of races I needed for the series swag. 

Results of the 6k. My time is highlighted to show difference in finish times.

Race 5 - Rachel's Run - Tyngsboro, MA

I just finished this race hours ago so it's very fresh. I had been warned it was a rough course, and that friend was absolutely right. Being a double loop it was night to know what to expect on the second loop, but that also meant I knew what I was going to have to do. I did not like that hill. Had I just been hiking, it would have been fine, running a mountain race, expected, but on this course, wow, it was hard both times I power walked over it. I was last, I was very last, but everyone was encouraging even the warm up runners as they flew by. I will say this race more than any other just did a number on my headspace. I walked 5 hours in the dark solo over night last year at Ghost train and my headspace was calm and loving. 38 mins of this course was hard. I went through all the emotions about do I belong, should I finish, will I get passed by the finishers before I finish the first loop(I wasn't, barely). Lots of feelings of being an embarrassment to my team(of which I was the only runner in the women's race) and maybe I need to accept I'm just not good at this running thing and I should just hang up my singlet. It was bad and it was all internal, because everyone and I mean everyone was amazing and supportive. From the volunteers to the organizers, the random runners and the Liberty Track Team, who were always friendly at the races and helped make me feel like I belonged. My teammates running other races cheered me on via Strava or in person when they saw me.  I want to stress this was all internal and not accurate to what was going on around me. Sports can be like that, and honestly this headspace isn't like me. I was a goalie, I was a decent goalie, because I could shake off a goals, goals will happen, but you can't be so focused on the one that got past that you miss the next two.

Photo by volunteer at Rachel's Run

In the end, while I enjoyed the challenge that the series gave me, it was more than just running, the mental game was far harder than any I have experienced before. Mile 19-22 of marathons are easier. I don't know if I'll run the series again. I'd do it with a team without hesitation, but to show up solo, I'm not sure I can do that again. In December I start training for the Cheap Marathon, switching back to distance and completing the marathon right before I start directing the Track and Field program, which wraps up in July. As for the fall, my son's cross country races take priority, and I will again volunteer to help out the U8 boys in the fall. 

Loon Mtn Race

Loon Mountain Race in Lincoln, NH
July 7, 2019
This race is part of the USATF Mountain Series, I ran as a Gate City Strider.

I'm aware I haven't written about Mt. Ascutney, but Loon just happened yesterday and I have it fresh in my mind.

Thanks to an amazing offer from a friend with a place in the region, instead of driving up the night before or the morning of the race, we went up Friday evening and spent the weekend relaxing by one of the smaller NH lakes.

While the time was relaxing, it didn't come without snags that wouldn't happen at home. Eating on a strange schedule, eating too much sugar(roasted marshmallows are a favorite food), and not enough sleep. The night before the race, the children had a rough moment of homesickness and missing Moxie, their dog. I think I got 3 hours of sleep that night, as we had to get up super early for the race.

Before we left I had 1 waffle as I don't like to run with a full stomach, or even partly full stomach. I knew I was dehydrated and had struggled all weekend to drink water. I mention all this so you know where I was at once we got there.

Arriving at Loon, the kids were a bit bouncy, hungry and tired. Husband was in the same state. Thankfully it wasn't long between check in and race start. Once I was on my way the family headed out to find breakfast.

The views from this race were just amazing.

I just wasn't feeling this race. I wasn't excited, I wasn't nervous, I had thought this would be the highlight of my weekend, but I knew it wouldn't. This was just a step along the way to get Mountain Goat status. I was under trained, not to the extent that I was worried about injury or getting a DNF, but enough to know this would be hard. I told my husband to plan on me taking 3 hours to finish.

Jumpy stones, but unlike my LARPing days, the penalty for failure was wet feet.

Every time I looked at the course map, I read it but never fully processed trails. The first few miles were pleasant in the trails with shade. I ran some, I walked some, I skipped some. I tried to keep my feet dry until I failed to and decided to embrace it. I had moments where I had one of those video game power ups and for 15-30 seconds I leaped up a hill rock to rock, occasionally splashing in the muddy puddles. This part of the race was pleasant. I should run more trail races.

The first aid station felt like it took forever to get to. But I saw a familiar face, took a moment to drink water, and refill my bottle. The next section would be alot more sun. I have decided my least favorite trails are sandy gravel ones that sneak into your shoes. I had failed to glue my gaiter hook and loop stickers to my sneakers so I went without. These trails were slippery but not like mud.

The next section was sunnier and I had an incredibly difficult crossing of a ski hill. Walking across a steep hill, my ankles were pissed. I eventuality walked sideways as that was just easier.

Then we hit the lower speak easy. This was the not boss hill. It was challenging, I took breaks. I enjoyed the view. I knew I wasn't getting any kind of decent time, so I just enjoyed the hike.

Not Upper Walking Boss

The next turn was back to a sandy, gravelly hill. On this hill the men, who started the race 75 mins after then women started to pass me. I tried to be aware of where they were to keep out of the way and stopped a few times to let them pass. At this point I was just hoping for the final aid station, I was going to gu(but then forgot and just did clif blocks the whole time). I wanted a full water bottle before I hit the walking boss.

As I got close to the aid station there were spectators cheering us on. I made a mistake. I filled my water bottle but the bucket was empty and I topped it off from anther bucket, that unexpectedly had the electrolyte drink in it. I don't know what they were offering but it was some horrible tropical chalky disgusting mix. The chalkiness made me worry about dairy and I spent several minutes debating if I should drink anymore. Because of this mistake I minimized how much I drank(it was horrible and I guess I wasn't that dehydrated as I suspected I was as if I had been dehydrated it would have tasted fine.) I did a good job remembering my electrolyte pills.

Beginning of the UWB.

I was also passed by spectators on the course, which was odd and I hope they went an easier way up to that point. I saw several familiar faces before getting on the trail that leads to the upper walking boss. This trail was all down hill and I walked it. Trying to avoid being run over by male runners flying down it. The steepness of it made me uncomfortable running much of it and I was exhausted. My goal was to finish without injury and this trail screamed injury to me.

The view was almost worth walking up this hill(UWB).

At the base of the Upper Walking Boss I took a picture with the sign, paused a few moments, before crossing the checkpoint and starting the hill. Wow, it was brutal. I would take anywhere from 5-20 steps before needing to stop and just recover. I took steps backwards just to use different muscles, I did sections on hands and feet, oddly after those I'd get fist bumps and high fives from the men that passed me. I didn't put that together until after when I was telling my husband about it. I flipped off the signs and chatted a bit with the woman who would sit down every 30 ft or so to stretch her bum. It was hard, seriously hard. Not even fun hard, just hard. I worried about missing footing and tumbling downward. I worried about bumping other runners. I knew I'd make it to the top and I knew I'd finish, but I had little concern about time. I spent a moment admiring the view. It felt like it went on forever. I kept checking my watch to see how far I hadn't gone.

There were two signs on the boss.

Nearly at top.

As I neared the top and the finish line a spectator said sprint when I got to a person. I grumbled back at them, there was no way I could sprint. I was toast. I had left everything on that hill. I tried to run over the finish line but I was done, and walked myself over those mats. I had done it.  Mountain race Five was complete!

Finished!

I looked around, asked someone to take a picture, drank some more plain water. I'm guessing that the electrolyte drink was dairy free, as I wasn't literally dead.

The trail to the gondola rides down.

The next step was to get to the family, who rode the gondola up the mountain. The joke about the mountain races is, just because the race is over doesn't mean the miles are over. I walked the sunset loop which was a crazy steep down hill follow by a short up hill to get to the gondola place and find the family. We chatted, I drank more water, and grabbed an orange slice. As there wasn't much to do and I was toast, we got in line for the gondola. It was then that I remembered I was afraid of heights and the last gondola I was in I tried to jump out of into a tree.

The boys told me the ride up was scary but fun. They warned me that the gondola goes fast at first and then slows down and that when it passes a pole there is a bump. They were right and I was crazy nervous as the gondola speed down the first incline before slowing and bump-bump. This ride all the windows were open so we had a nice breeze and while we slowed a bit the ride never came to a stop. Apparently on the ride out it was like being left in a hot car. Aside from minor moments of panic, I enjoyed the ride down. Then it was time to walk to the car, drive to the lake house, pack up everything and head home.

Pace and heart rate chart really shows the effort of the UWB.

I failed all levels of post race recovery.  I failed to remind my husband to bring my recovery drink to the top of the mountain, I failed to lie down and do a leg drain, I failed to eat much of anything all day with the packing and the driving. Then dinner decided to take longer than normal to cook. The first meal I ate was at 7pm.

I'm glad I'm done with Loon. I have no interest in running the race again or as I overheard someone say extreme hiking the race. It was an experience and I'm glad I can say I did it, but I don't need to repeat it. It's funny how little things can taint an experience. Spectators for the race were supposed to get discounted gondola tickets. As I expected it to take me 3 hours to finish, there was no rush to the top for my family and they went to breakfast. When they got to the mountain to buy tickets, they discovered they missed the discounted tickets by 15 minutes(at 10:07am) and would have to pay full price. This was never posted or mentioned in anything leading up to the race. I doubt the organizers even knew there was a cut off for this discount.  It's a minor thing, but it just rubbed me wrong and it's a big reason why I won't go back. That said the organizers of the race, ran a good race, they were great with communication, registration was easy and the aid stations were well stocked. My only issue was with Loon and a rude employee, likely amplified in my head by hunger and exhaustion.

I didn't bother with editing this write up, so there will be mistakes in the words chosen, the grammar and spelling. Thank you for seeing past it to get to this point.

Next race is Greylock Mountain Labor Day Weekend and my official mountain goat completion.

Race Schedule 2019 - Update

A while back I posted my race plans. I just completed the first half marathon planned, and thought an update was in order.

My bibs on the wall of my adjusting room at the office.

Race List

Completed
Jan 1 - Peanut Butter Chip Chase 5k - Finisher with Family spectating
Jan/Feb - Freeze Your Buns 5k Series
Feb - Fudgicle Series
February -Taji 100 Virtual - Finisher
Mar 16 - LebRec Shamrock Shuffle 5k - Finisher
Apr 7 - Nashua Soup Kitchen 10k - Finisher
Apr 20 - Sleep Hollow  Finisher
May 5 -  Pack Monadnock- Finisher 
May 19 - Gate City Half Marathon - Finisher
May 25 R - Wachusett Mtn 10k - Finisher
Jun 8 R - Ascutney Mountain
Jun 9 R - WRT Flat and Fast 5k  My 42nd Birthday!
Jun 13 R - Hollis Fast 5k Path Of Life team
Jan 14 R - Flag Day 5k Amherst
Jun 23 - Capital City Classics 10k
Jun/Jul - Mine Falls Trail Series
Jul 7 R - Loon Mtn - Finisher
Sept 1 R - Greylock - Finisher
Sept 22 R - Granite State 10 Miler
Oct 20 R  - Baystate Half marathon - Finisher
Nov 3 R - Cambridge Half Marathon Unofficial Finisher

Planned (if there is an R next to race name, I've already registered)

Nov 16 R - Wolf Hollow 10 mile Thank you Striders!
Nov 22 R - Great Gobbler Thanksgiving Race
Nov 24 R - Novemberfest (May miss due to cross country race)

Dec 8 ? - Mill Cities Relay (Awaiting team placement with Gate City Striders)

On June 27th I have the opportunity to rappel off a sky scrapper if I can raise at least $1000 for The Youth Council(I'd love to raise more, they are a fantastic organization doing great things). Help make my 42nd birthday EPIC, donate on my fundraising site. 

Sleepy Hollow Mountain Race

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Sleepy Hollow Mountain Race in Huntington, VT
April 20, 2019
This race is part of the USATF Mountain Series, I ran as a Gate City Strider.

This was my first trail race and my first mountain race. April is Mud season in Vermont and many of the side roads were flooded, or so it seemed. I wonder if Vermont paves any road that is not a main route or highway.

Pre-Race Selfie!

My husband Alex and I drove up to Vermont and stayed in a condo the night before about 45 minutes from the race. The drive up got interesting when it started to rain. We arrived about an hour after we planned.
The morning of the race, the skies were overcast without rain. The drive to the mountain was pleasant and we even drove by the place we got married nearly 12 years ago.  On Friday, I discovered there was a risk of thunderstorms. I don’t mind rain, but thunderstorms terrify me, the idea of running alone in the trails with that going on is something I hope to never experience.

I knew the weather had the potential to be bad, and that there would be MUD.  At the start of the race they brought up the storms again and said that safety came first. I decided if the thunderstorms started before I set out on my third loop I was done. Luckily they did not.

The race has begun!

Just before the race was to begin, the skies opened up and the rain started again. Thecourse is 3 ascents and 3 descents, with the last one starting after you cross past the finish area.

The first ascent right at the start

The first 20 mins of the race were horrible. Adjusting to power hiking(I wasn’t running) up a steep muddy hill where I had to focus on every step to avoid having my foot sucked into mud or slipping, along with the transition from dry feet to wet feet. Once they were wet all was good, but when my right foot was soaked and my left foot only damp in some areas, I can only focus on that. I watched the rest of the runners disappear into the mountain. There was a man behind me that was coughing and I think he threw up, but I wasn't looking back to see. He eventually passed me and I didn't see him on the trails again, which with the trees and turns he could have been close and I wouldn't have known. By the top of the first ascent I was fairly alone in my run. I could see one person in front of me.
The first decent was a new experience, I swear I made it down without falling by pulling in so many skills from my past. Ice hockey to control a slide, larping to make rapid changes to where my feet land as the ground could be mud, deep mud, leaves with light mud or rocks. As it bottomed out there was a water stop and some smiling people. I ate a Clif Blok,  chatted and continued on. I may even have run a bit as it was flatish.

Somewhere on the first half of the course.

Darth Vader Trail

Along I went until the next ascent, which was no where near as bad as the first or so I thought. At a turn, I saw the Darth Vader signs(on left and right) and thought really that wasn’t bad what were they talking about. That was a mistake I was about to turn right onto Darth Vader and quickly my misjudgment was corrected as I tackled switch backs. Now I had read about the challenge of switch backs in Mirna's book*, but I honestly had never experienced them. Switch backs musts be experienced to understood.  As I climbed I came to a small bridge and found the sith, took a picture and then carefully started around bridges and continued on the steep switchbacks(why did I sign up for this again?) trail. At the top, a man joked i was still in first place for ribbons. Along the way I saw Princess Leia, but my phone was misbehaving due to the rain, and that my hands were wet.

I don’t remember too much from that decent. Just that I was getting close to the start area when I needed to decide to continue or quit. Sky looked good so I continued. Seeing people also helped encourage me along. One of the women at the water stop made a joke that not a hair was out of place on my head. As I started the final ascent I was passing runners who were done and heading to the finish. My watch was 1/4-1/2 mile off so I couldn’t trust it for how much further but when I saw the 5 mile marker I was so happy. 1.5 miles to go I can do 1.5 miles. I was starting to feel the cold at this point, getting zings in my hand and arm. The puddles were cold on my feet, rather than nothing. The Han Solo trail had the best views but my phone was still not behaving. I did stop on a boulder and just look out and appreciate all I could see. On the descent I saw the 6 mile marker and knew I was almost done. Then the 75 meters to finish sign at the bottom of a short hill, as I got to the too one last burst or running and I was done and starting to notice how cold I was.

Asoka is A Soaked.
Finisher!

Alex was waiting under the pavilion for me. I was glad he was there to take care of me. I didn't realize how cold I was. I had planned on 60's and raining, which I can handle, and had joked if it was 40's and raining I might be in trouble. I was wet all the way through and in trouble. My food allergies made hitting the burrito bar off limits. After washing my lower legs and sneakers off we entered the lodge. I wish I had taken a picture of how muddy I was. It was rather impressive even if the puddles on the course kept washing it off. Thankfully another runner posted their shoes to instagram. Once in the lodge we realized we failed to bring a post race outfit. I stripped off my wet shirts and used my dry run jacket as a shirt. Drank my Tailwind Rebuild* and then we headed to the car so I could strip off my sneakers and leggings. By random chance my ugly black sweatpants that I thought I'd thrown out were in there so I could strip out of my Gym Girl Ultra skirt that was soaked through as well. Now we know for next year what to pack.

Once we got back to the condo, Alex made the most amazing spread of smoked salmon, cucumbers, fresh salsa, rice cakes and potato chips. I want to do this race again, but next year I'll do better training and spend more time on the stair master.

Next Race is Pack Monadnock.

More Photos

I found Padme! 

This was my Asoka belt flap under my bib. 

Green line is Elevation, Red is heart rate. Even the descents were hard.