Woodstock 2017: 50 Groovy Miles & Smiles

Since when does a 50 mile trail race become a "training run?"
When you are signed up for a 100mile ultra 4 weeks later. Hennipen100.

Woodstock was by no means accidently put into my running schedule. It was quite deliberate.
My training for Hennipen might not make since to anyone but me, but I do have a method to the madness.

RunWoodstock is an entire weekend of all distance races ranging from 5K's to 100 mile ultras. With the theme being PEACE, LOVE and RUN you can not help but have a groovy time.
The run weekend is on the Hell Creek Ranch in Pinckney, Michigan. It is set up commune style. Most runners are camping and hanging out all weekend.
This is what I did, camped with hundreds of others!

You're probably  wondering "WHY would you do that?" "How did you sleep?"
Ha ha..well. I didn't really, but who really sleeps before a race event anyway?!
It is just part of the experience. It is the whole groovy package.

My client Paula is moving and set me up with a tent, a table and an air mattress.

Matt and Paula helped me set everything up Friday afternoon. I was so thankful to have their help, I would have given up and ended up sleeping in my truck if not for them.
Claudia, my camping partner arrived with goodies and smiles a lil later.

We were all rather chill considering we would be running between 6-10 hours the following day.

Race Morning.
5AM came real fast and REAL COLD!
Rachel and Matt met at our camp site ready to roll. I was struggling in the dark with my body shivering and my brain not turning over.

We barely made the start! I left my frigid brains in the tent but thankfully had my legs.

I had the girls, Rachel and Claudia and Jeremy from Highland Loops met up with us for his first 50miler!
One of the things I love about running ultras is that the community is very circular. You get to know so many runners, often planning your next ultra together.

6AM START.
Chatting, we were all caught off guard when runners took off across the start line.
The 50mile is 3 loops of approximately 17 miles.
The three of us took off together in the dark, full of energy, and the introduction to MARCO POLO!

You run around the camp about a half a mile before entering the trail head.
The first few miles are slow and tight. You cant really see to beyound anyone even with head lamps. And you are not passing a couple people, if you want to pass, its like double digits. The trail is literally grid lock.

My sleepy head was unrecognizable. I was a functioning lunatic on the trails going from one extreme, tired to the other...Fired Up. My endorphins kicked in like a crackhead and I was busting at the seams, animated with ridiculousness.

I liked the idea that I could be outrageous and no one had a face with a voice.

The first loop, the three of us were running steady, full of energy and laughter.
The sun comes out about mile 5. We were coming to my favorite spot on this trail. I LOVE crossing this bridge as the sun is coming up. This is my 3rd time running Woodstock. I am always in awe at this exact spot. The dew from the tall grasses glistens through the fog. It is breathtaking.

The other thing that was breathtaking was the crisp 40' degree chill in the air. I didn't wear a jacket, I didn't want to have it for 3 hours. Rather, I wore arm sleeves that would be much easier to remove and put in my pack or pull down.
Jeremy and I parted ways with the girls at the 50m and 50k divide, this would be the last time we saw them on the course.

The first loop, Jeremy and I separated  but planned to meet heading back into the trail.
I grabbed some food from the aid station, tore off my arm bands and looked for my bag to drop them in.
I made my way to the trail head, giving high fives and whooping up the crowd on my way out.
Jeremy never came, I began to think he might have left without me, I headed into the trail alone.
First Loop Average: 3h:20

THE SECOND LOOP:
The Gracie aid station is about 4 miles out. Roughly, 3 miles in I got a text from Jeremy.
He was a little more than a mile behind me. I told him I would wait for him at the Gracie Aid Station.
This was a TRAINING RUN. I was not to bent on time. This was also Jeremy's first 50miler. I didn't want to put any pressure on him.

"MARCO!!!!" I yelled as I came back into the Gracie Aid Station. SMILING when I heard the aid station respond "POLO!"
I cut up with the volunteers, buying time waiting for Jeremy.

Jeremy arrived with his own smiles and we were off again!

The morning was heating up, it really was a perfect day to run 50 miles.
We slowed our pace down a bit keeping it steady.
We broke the run up into aid stations, mile markers and farthest trained miles.
Jeremy was stoked when we reached 28 miles, his MOST ran training miles.
We saw Matt somewhere around there running like a beast. I knew I was in trouble as I laughed carefree and he responded "SLACKER".
OUCH...
I knew my plan.
Run a solid first loop with the girls.
The second loop get Jeremy through.
Third loop, Kick it into gear.
A well balanced 50 mile training run!

Jeremy was getting quieter. I tried to encourage him. He NEVER quit smiling.
"How ya doin Jeremy?"
With a great attitude and a smooth answer he replied "Everything is happy from the waist up!"
I LOVED that response.

 Distance slowly separated us  a couple miles before the loop ended.

2nd Loop Finish: average 3h:51

FINAL LOOP:
I felt great. I had skated through the last 7 hours of aid stations. I snacked on potatoes, grilled cheese, Swedish fish, veggie broth and trail mix. I alternated Gatorade with soda, for energy and electrolytes but drank water from my hydration pack the whole time. This was a TRAINING RUN. I needed to eat, drink and stay on top of it. I wanted to try a couple new things to see how my body responded, the grilled cheese and broth were both new for me. They were so wonderful. I thanked the aid station multiple times for the BEST Grill CHEESE squares EVER!.

I came out of the trail into the Ranch. I could hear the campers cheering and the music getting louder as I ran through the camp towards my final loop. I tossed my hands out collecting high fives and cheers. The spectators remembered me from my previous loops and got hyped with me.
"HEY!! THERE she IS!"
I lost myself in all the hoopla.
Directly in front of me, I see this larger than life smile and firey red hair. It was PAULA! I practically jumped into her arms as we spun around. "GOO GOOO GET BACK OUT THERE!" she gave me a quick coaching reality check.
YES, It was time to pick it up.
Play times over.
17 more miles.

My body felt good. I knew because I had played the first 34 miles so safe I needed to dance with pain.
I picked it up. Easy up. With no running partners, no music I was alone with my thoughts. I had so many thoughts running through my head.
I tried to stay focused.
As each aid station came, I quickly grabbed what I needed, and headed out, briskly walking, eating and drinking.

Grill Cheese and broth

"Back Up, Nita" I would whisper out loud. I ran about a half a mile behind several runners. I was on a straight way. They never saw me coming. I slowly made my way past them.
Most of them. The one girl, about my age, she was not letting go. She looked at me, startled and came close behind me.
I couldn't shake her.
I knew she was in my age group. I really wanted the age group award.
I thought how I would strategize my next couple hours to shake her. Several times I thought I lost her, then I would see her coming into the aid station as I was heading out.
"CRAP...Doesn't she have any GI issues?"
"Doesn't she need to stretch out, eat more, blow up the bathroom?"
I knew I just needed to continue to move forward. Run my own race, hit the downhills, climb the uphills more than normal and remember the tortoise...

WHAT GOES AROUND comes AROUND!
With a little less than 8 miles to go, I was coming out of a aid station and saw a younger girl. She looked at me, then at my bib and I knew she was going to take off.
And she did.
She was gone like Donkey Kong. I was able to stay with her for about 4 miles. I giggled every time I saw her look over her shoulder.
This actually helped me pick up my pace to loose the lady I had been trying to shake for 2 and a half hours.

I was getting tired. I had passed several runners. Runners I couldn't believe I had caught up to and passed. I was excited to see some of my friends, Rich Marr and some others that yelled "MARCO!".
They recognized and associated me with my game but I had no clue who they were. I played along, 'WOOT WOOT,POLO!"

The last couple miles were lonely and sad. I saw several 100milers making their way to the finish. I saw tears, sweats, the 100m shuffle from many. Their pacers were enthusiastic. I saw one poor soul wrapped up like a cocoon laying down, shivering with his eyes closed and 2 people taking care of him on the side of the trail.
It rattled me. "DEAR GOD, is this going to be me for Hennipen?"

JUST get to the finish.
I could hear the camp. Smiling, I got excited to see my friends. My legs were numb but not in pain. My tush was sore and I just wanted to wash the trail dirt off.

I came out of the trail for the 3rd time. I had a quarter mile to the finish.
So many people are cheering you on. It is a downhill finish, your legs just GOO. This incredible second wind kicks in and I found myself not just turning over that last gear but smiling at the same time!
Last Loop: 3H:15

RUNDOWN:
10:28:19
Overall: 28
1st in my age group
8th Female Overall.

I am pleased with my time, I was about 18 minutes slower than my last 50miler at Woodstock.
That time was easy to recover hanging out at aid stations too long the first couple loops.
I had a great run, a smart run and even a FUN run.

Jeremy finished under his goal time and was still smiling!


It was a great weekend, with great friends doing what we all love to do.
I am thankful for no injuries, God keeping me upright and safe. I am beyond blessed.

Anita~