Red Moon Run Recap 2021:

 

Everything in life is training for our next something. Such is running. Each race dedicated is to help improve you as you reach your "A" race. 

I many have gotten a lil carried away with races. I scheduled 3 races in 9 days. This isn't the dumbest thing I have ever done and I can't really say I would do it differently. 

The trick, don't run like a knucklehead. Run Smart. That I can do, sorta. 

RED MOON RUN

Date: Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021

Location: Midland City Forest

Time: 8PM

Distance: 5K and 25K

Company: Melissa, Erin, Andy, Chris 

Terrain: "wide trails (not single track)."  A 5K loop in the woods. 

Andy and I arrived at the course a little after 7pm. Melissa and Erin were there waiting for us and Chris arrived right behind us. 

It was stifling hot, I was trying to be tough about it. It was way too early to start whining, I mean we hadn't even started running! 

I bailed on running the 5k I was signed up to run before the 25k. I thought that was one of my better ideas for the day. 

I followed that idea up with my race plan, a FUN race with little suffering. After all, I did bring a light up tutu, no one would be seriously running in a TUTU?! 

READY SET GO! 

As the National Anthem finished, I quickly turned around grabbed the girls and prayed for a safe race. 

I headed to the front when I heard the race director say "If you are competing you should get in the front because it is a gun start." 

As I took off with the runners I quickly thought, "WHAT are you doing Anita? Your here to have fun, you can't compete you moron, you have a big race next weekend..." 

After about 2 minutes of conversing with my crazy self  I brought my pace down. It was then that Chris caught up to me. 

LAP ONE: 

Chris and I chatted, laughed, encouraged the runners on and discussed our plan. 

Chris and I were on the same page only I was out of breath with a plan that sounded good on the first lap.....26:53 Pace: 8:40.

LAP 2: 3-6 miles. 

It was still light. This was good because I didn't have my headlamp. Melissa was going to bring it out to me after she finished her 10K, that and my skirt! 

The sun was setting fast. A lil too fast. As Chris and I came around a turn in the trail, the roots were tangled across the path. BOOM! Down I went! I was running so fast I didn't have time to think about it, I rolled out of it and bounced back up trying to catch back up.  Just as I settled down the guy in front of us tripped like I have never seen. We asked if he was ok, we slowed down but he told us us he was "Good". Let me just say, I was haunted by the image of that man displayed across the trail. I am pretty positive he was not "GOOD" the way his legs split in half was totally not natural. 

53:13 Pace: 8:34

LAP 3: 6-9 miles.

This is where fear settled in. Chris and I were running pretty strong but I knew I was running TOO fast. "Chris, we are not even half way...." 

"Chris, I had that mile at 8:22..." 

Then BOOM! down I went AGAIN in the same stinking area. By now it was dark out and I was literally falling apart. 

I knew I would see Mellissa with my head lamp and skirt, I just had to stay upright. As we made those gnarly turns Chris pointed them all out for me and navigated me through them. I was hanging a little behind Chris because by now it was black out and I had no light. I stopped at the aid station to get a drink of what I thought was Gatorade and quickly found out it was FireBall. "OH OH, that's not ..." PSST".. I was spitting it out and trying to catch back up with Chris. 

 In the dark, like really dark,  I had a brain fart and remembered I had a flashlight, YEAH! 

"CHRIS and Anita.." we now heard them announce us for the 3rd time and there was Melissa with my skirt and headlamp. 

1:20:20 Pace: 8:38

LAP 4: 9-12 miles

With my skirt in my hand I did a quick change, slipping my legs into the skirt and trying to catch back up to Chris.  

Chris was slowing down a bit making it a little easier for me to locate my "ON" switch to get my skirt to light up. 

I was having anxiety about the last half mile to the loop end. All those knotted, twisting roots waiting to grab me again while all I had was my silly flashlight because I decided not to take my headlamp from Melissa. But I made it without falling!

1:48:18 Pace 8:43

LAP 5: FINSH 

Chris and I had been taking turns leading each other. The entire time we continued cheering for almost every runner. 

The dirt and sand were stuck to the sweat across my legs and back were I fell. My hands were grimy  from my nutrition gel and I was trying not to gag at all the sand in my nails. GROSS. I felt so nasty. 

"Hey, is that rain?" Chris asked. 

And with less than a mile to go the evening sky OPENED UP.  The rain came down so fast that I was blinded with all the sweat dripping in my eyes. It truly was by the grace of GOD I didn't fall. My eyes were stinging so bad and I had nothing dry to wipe them with. I could barely hear Chris trying to direct me over the roots as we closed in on the finish. 

But just like that we heard our names for the last time!

Full Course 2:16:46 Pace 8:49

Chris, me, Andy, Erin and Melissa

I was pretty tired. And so wet. It was such a fun run. I ran a bit faster than I planned. I blamed it on Chris and of course Chris blamed it on me! 

Whoever is to blame it ended up giving me a shocking OVERALL FEMALE AWARD! 

A total surprise! 

My award was awesome. Truth be told, it was a very small field, BUT..Hey, I'll Take it! Thank YOU Dig Deep Races, another incredible event! 

It was GREAT to see Sean, Elisabeth and Will out there. And congrats to Dale who also ran it but I never got to see her! 

Sean and I 

Elisabeth and I 

And the biggest take away....GLORY BE TO GOD. 

Anita~

Jokes on me

 

As I headed out to run, Andy was heading out for work. I shared my route with him lacking motivation. We got into a debate about the distance of my run. 

"It's a 9 mile route..." Andy confidently said. 

"No...it's way farther than that...I replied. 

Both laughing Andy responds, "OK! Let's bet dinner, If I win we get sweet meat tacos..." 

I curled my nose up at his hillbilly version of tacos, "YUCK" I thought to myself. However, I didn't give it much thought because I knew he was going to LOOSE!

The problem with winning this debate is worse than me having to eat nasty sweet meat tacos it was that I would have to run an extra 3 miles when I didn't want to run at all! The joke was on me. 

I ran hoping I was wrong. 

I ran in denial still pacing myself for 9 miles.

I also ran with no nutrition, no gels. 

I kept looking at my watch as my Garmin recorded my mileage closer and closer to 9 miles and farther from home than I wanted. 

I considered quitting but I had no way of getting back home.

I also considered slowing down, finding an alternative route and even stopping my watch and walking it home. 

Today, was my 3rd day running with an accumulation of over 40 miles. 

I was trying to keep sub 9's. It just felt awful. 

I finished my 12 mile run, chuckled to myself about my dinner options and of course texted Andy right away to rub it in. 

And like Andy and Doug both say, its doesn't count unless its on STRAVA! 

(Too bad I have my STRAVA locked down from even Andy!) 

It may seem like a lot of running but it isn't the mileage as much as it is the effort level. 

B2B runs (Back to back) are always followed up by a easy run. 

Saturday I ran 20 miles of trails and followed it up with 9 miles of easy trails and backroads. "If you can't converse during long runs than you are going too fast. Easy days should be 50-75% of the volume you run during other weekday runs" According to Bryon Powell (Relentless Forward Progress) 

I started tapering last week. My weekly mileage: 50miles down over 30 miles! 

This Saturday night is Red Moon run. I registered for the 10k and the 25k like a fool. I think I was a little over zealous. 

My training plan is spot on for a 50K. 

3 weeks out 50 miles.

2 weeks out 43 miles

Enjoy the Little things. 

On N. Holly road is a farm, the Mitchell Farms. This year they planted hundreds of sunflowers surrounding their crops. It  is breathtaking. 

Sunday morning, I was in the area and stopped and took a few photos.

Today, I made it part of my route hoping to take some more photos. The sunflowers tower towards the sun much taller than me. The flowers almost look fake they are so enormous. Rows and rows of these bright yellow and brown blossoms. But today when I ran there, a man was sitting outside the garden. I politely asked if I could take a photo. 

He said "The owners do no want anyone taking photos..." 

"Hmm" I thought to myself. I didn't rat on myself. 

But I stood there, I took a deep breath and smiled. I tried to photograph it to memory it was so impressive. 

I thought about that for a couple miles on my trek back home. Something so beautiful and it couldn't be photographed. Unbeknownst to him I had been by there a couple days prior at 6:30am and snapped a couple photos. 

In my angst running home, I thought about the lil things. The remarkable sunflowers. The thoroughbred  horses eating on the fence line, the eagles nest on the backroads. 

I searched for gratitude in my suffering and found so much joy in my accomplishments. 

I didn't play the "compare" card and make myself pouty or envious of others. I stayed present. I wanted to get discouraged at some of my yesterdays running routines but they are gone and I had to let them go. 

I have to find gratitude in today. In new things. In the present things. 

Like the sunflowers, sometimes we can not take a picture to carry with us, but its memory will always be there. Enjoy the moment. 

Anita~

Your almost there.

  "He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Chad and Mallory ABC 12

There are things in life that make your heart skip a beat. 

Circumstances that make your palms sweat, your pulse quicken and your ears ring. 

There are things that give you anxiety. Things that scare you. 

Most of us try everything to avoid fear, anxiety and for good reason. 

I grew up in a petri dish of fear. The fear that makes you want to throw up. The kind of fear that makes you loose your mind. The kind of fear you cry yourself to sleep and cut yourself in agony. 

But 30 years later, there is just something about that fear, about overcoming it, about fighting against it that you crave. 

Its a love / hate thing. 

I have learned that some of my greatest heartaches can also become my greatest testimonies.

Overcoming Fear. ENCOURAGMENT

Saturday I threw out the idea of running a 6 hour training run. A run that I wouldn't worry about pace or distance, strictly "Time on Feet". 

I had some friends that were running the same course that day and even had Andy and Cristine come out to run as well. 

But they all came and went and I was there still running. 

I wanted to call it in at 5 hours. I was alone, hot and over it. 

Before Andy left he pulled up beside me on Buckhorn Lake road "Anita, you got this, 6 hours, you can get a 50k in, you can practically walk the last bit in...." 

Truth be told, I walked that last mile in. I wanted to quit so bad. 

That evening after running 31 miles, we had tickets to the Aerial Park in Frankenmuth. 

Somewhere a fun glow in the dark night of ziplining turned into a white knuckle black diamond course of extreme heights and obstacles. None of us were having fun. Team Harless decided to do the hardest course. We were all gripped with fear after only the first of several obstacles. As I approached the second obstacle I could barely grasp the rope above my head.  All the blood had left my arms I had clung for dear life. I had to hang from the rope above me and climb my legs in rope loops dangling from the rope above me. Because I am so short I cold barely get my feet into the loops and grip the rope. About 4 loops in I looked down into the darkness. I was so scared they were going to have to rescue me. I put both my arms around the rope above my head and hung there trying to calm down for the next 4 loops ahead of me. "Mom, You got this, your almost there...." Austin was encouraging me at the end of the platform. He was waiting for me. "Austin, It so hard, I don't know...." 

I tried to relax, still shaking I reached my arm out and tried to get my leg out of one loop into the next without getting tangled. 

"Good job mom, your almost there..." Austin coaxed me all the way to the finish. 

I finished the course, I smiled and for a brief second even thought...I would do that again.

Collision:

ABC 12 interviewed me last Thursday. Mallory and Chad met me at Holly Rec to ask my questions about overcoming cancer and running. ABC Interview link

I found myself getting choked up as I recollected how much pain and fear I had to overcome. 

This interview would go out to the masses. 

To those who have their own fear and pain. To a community struggling with their own challenges. 

I am not a lone island. Many, I pray will never have to deal with cancer but many deal with the similar fears that cancer gives birth to. 

Fear and anxiety that make your knees knock like mine did 30 feet in the air. 

Its Life on Lifes terms. Its raising kids, its sickness, its marriage, its bad relationships, it's not being able to pay your bills, its physical abuse, it's addiction, its new environments, mental illness, death, grief and the list goes on. 

"Good Job Mom, your almost there..." 

Its encouraging one another. Its walking a mile in someone else's shoes. Its being compassionate, being tolerant, being KIND. It's seeing the struggle in someone else and letting go of your struggles to help someone else. 

That is what Austin was doing. My big meat head son is stronger than a ox and he was struggling. He was sweating like a stuck pig but he looked beyond his agony, saw mine and encouraged me. 

And when you have no one cheering you on, you are going to have to cheer yourself on. Your going to have to inspire yourself. Cling to all those obstacles in life you have already overcome and use them to inspire you to not give up. 

RUNDOWN:

Monday: 23miles-Time on Feet 5hr : West, Grubers, North; 

Wednesday:10miles

Thursday:15.8miles  Wilderness and CRU

Saturday: 31.3 Time on Feet 6hr : Rose Oaks

Sunday: 7 miles

Total Miles: 83miles

PEAK Week for North Country, 3 weeks out. Again Sunday, I wanted to call it in and rest. But back to back runs are very important in my training. Running on tired legs has been a major element for my ultra training. Andy convinced me to go out with him on Sunday. Every mile Andy said "Your doing great, good job hunny." I couldn't really talk. Andy gave me walk breaks every mile and kept our pace at a 10min/mi. 

And again, you could have rang Andy out he was sweating so bad but rather than think of his own misery, he continued to encourage me. 

Life can be scary. My greatest encouragement comes from the Lord, My ultimate inspiration. 

 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. — Deuteronomy 31:6

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. –Psalm 23:4

ANITA~

Not so Incredible...

 "When you recognize that failing does not make you a failure, you give yourself permission to try all sorts of things" Lauren Fleshman 

Today I thought I would test my legs out on the trails. Every step today was a struggle. A struggle to get out of bed, a struggle to get dressed and a struggle to get out the door. 

I didn't start running until close to 10am. The temperatures had risen to almost 80 degrees and the bugs were more active than I was. 

About 2 miles into my run, I thought I saw something moving through the trees. 

Glancing over my shoulder between the trees I spotted someone coming towards me in blue. Panic set it. I did a quick run down of my dangers and my plan. 

I picked up my pace. I thought I will out run them. 

I whipped through the trees, weaving in and out of the switchbacks and tackled the hills that I would normally walk. 

After a few minutes, I looked behind me again and realized I was never going to out run them, it was a biker. 

He came up on me fast, I jumped to the side of the trail as he peddled up the hill I just ran breathlessly. 

As he rode pass me he shouted "YOU are INCREDIBLE, YOU are AMAZING!" 

And as quick as he came he disappeared into the woods. 

But his words remained. 

"YOU are INCREDIBLE, YOU are AMAZING!"

I recited the words over and over to myself. "Ha, if only you knew..." I thought. 

My mind has been a mess. I hear my thoughts, I hear my words and I am ashamed of myself.  

I said to a co-worker this week after getting a text,  "Help me respond, Heidi, tell me what to say because I am struggling.." 

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh." Eze 36:26

We have days we just don't feel so Incredible. Part of this I know is "Post Race Blues" It is very common to struggle with sadness after a race. Your endorphins are at a low where they have been peaked for weeks of training and even race day. Add fatigue and soreness to the mix, a lot of runners get the blues. 

I thought of his words for miles. And all I could do was laugh. Running doesn't make you amazing. Winning in a race doesn't make you incredible. 

At the end of the day none of those miles mean pee diddly do. 

It's how you treat people. 

It's how you respond to one another. 

Its being kind, being thoughtful. 

It all the things people don't see that can make a difference. 

Tuesday night at our addiction meeting a comment was made. "Addicts don't understand, they don't care about what they do to us...." 

I held my tongue. That comment comes from a broken heart. a heart that's been hurt and hardened. 

I paused when I wanted to speak. I waited for the right time to address this. 

"Hurting people hurt people..." A broken heart will speak from emotion, that emotion is so vivid, so passionate it feels like truth. 

Not so Incredible...so many yesterdays I let my emotions rule me. I let them dictate my actions. And those words still haunt me years later and their actions. 

Somewhere on that trail God got tired of my pity party. Lauren Daigle's voice sang sweetly to me. 

"I thought I was too far gone

For everything I done wrong

Yeah, I'm the one who dug this grave

But you called my name...."

"All at once I came alive...." 

And I smiled....

As I came off the trail, I saw that biker one more time..

I always come out of Holdridge and walk around the parking lot. As I came around the outer edge near the west loop, 2 vehicles were parked. I got the show of my life. He was standing on the inside of his van with the woods on his other side. ONLY he was standing there totally naked changing. BUCK A$$ nude! I almost died! I QUICKLY diverted my eyes and acted like I never noticed as I cracked up. His wife was in the pavilion and had no idea what I had just seen. 

I was like, "Am I still INCREDIBLE?" 

RUNDOWN:

19-25= 80 miles (59.27 Loopty Loops)

MON: 4.1 miles

WED: 8 miles

THURS: 11 miles

Anita 

Loopty Loops RECAP

 "I thought I was broken but you were breaking ground on me." Tasha Layton

2 years to the DAY later. 

 

Loopty Loops 12 hour Ultra

Course: 3 mile trail at Bloomer Park

Start: 7am

Object: To get the most loops in before 8pm, but you must starrt last loop by 7pm. 

The plan: to run my first 7 loops (21 miles) at 33-36 minutes. Next 7 loops 40-45. Then assess my time, body and go from there.  

It took 2 years. 2 years of fighting, clawing, begging, crying, praying to feel. 

To feel pain, to feel accomplishment, to feel alive, to feel that all that hell was defeated. 

Loopty Loops would be my first ultra that I would lay it all out there. All the fighting, all the recovery, all the training, all the work I have put in, all the prayers, all my faith and all I had, I would give. 

I decided I would just run, run till my legs fell off, then find a way to put them back on and RUN some more. To run with joy, to run with gratitude, to run on purpose, to run for pain but to run with everything I had and to run with everything I didn't. 

I had nothing to prove to ANYONE. 

I had everything to prove to MYSELF. 

The race started at 7am thick with humidity. Everybody took off into the woods with me trailing in the back of the pack. 

I was not my normal obnoxious self.  Even in the midst of all the runners I felt introverted. I had many friends there but I started alone. 

As we entered the woods I realized Ryan L was in front of me. We chatted a bit but I was uncharacteristically quite. 

Loops 2: Lacey was running the 8 hour, her start time was 7:30am. She was a breath of fresh air standing there waiting for me. 

Before coming into the loop it had started to rain. Andy gave me a hat and cheered us on. 

It rained and rained. We found our groove splashing each other, jumping in the puddles and keeping pace. 

Lacey took a little break and sat a loop out. 

So I picked up my pace. I came in that loop at 32 minutes. Andy came out with the biggest SH!% eating grin, "I KNEW IT! I knew you were going to come through this loop under paced!"  

Lacey jumped back in with me. 

The rain had stopped, but the air was thicker then snot. Running in the heat has always been my super power. 

I ate and drank as much as I could, pickle juice, pickles, pizza, Pringles, Roll-ups, cheese quesadillas, Ucan, watermelon. I new I had to keep on it. 

I never used the port-a jons to pee, that's the beauty of trail running! The best was Lacey getting caught peeing by a runner, squatting on the side of the trail, I couldn't stop laughing! 

Somewhere I fell apart. As we came into a loop Mom and dad were there and I was a mess. I could see the look of panic on moms face. I tried so hard to look better but I couldnt disguise it. Mom had to leave, it hurts her to see me that way. She would come back. 

Nothing last forever. Lacey went over her goal  of running a marathon and did a 50K! She ran so good but now I had to dial it in. 

I had 37 miles and was running solo back on the trails. I had everything I needed, my music was blasting old school Grease soundtrack as I found a second wind. 

Andy discovered he could pace me after 4 pm. Mom and dad came back and I felt so much better, or at least faked it better! 

Andy the whole day had been keeping track of all my loops, taking care of my needs. I was no longer counting my loops, I had my watch on the time. I was dialed into trying my laps in so I could go back out at 7pm. 

I came in so pumped. The aid stations would cheer me on, Andy was grabbing me ginger ale for my belly issue and I rushed through to another loop. 

As I came in he jumped in to run with me. I was so excited. 

I think it was loop 17 Antonio jumped in with us. I was so elated. I was getting tired and my body was beginning to hurt. 

My brain wasn't calculating correctly. I was trying to compute my time for the laps but it was all foggy. Antonio was able to decipher my thoughts and did some quick math, "Anita, you have to get through this loops in 42 minutes...." 

"Pick up the pace..." I responded. 

Game on. 

I picked up the pace, Andy and Antonio dropped and I was alone to bring in the last couple loops. 

Most of the runners were done. I had made the time to hit the last loop. Everyone was so encouraging. People were clapping and cheering me on as I went out for my final loop, 6:58pm. 

I had an hour, my legs were cramping and I was scared I was going to have to walk. 

Then the thunder rolled. The lightning crashed. Walking 3 miles was no longer an option. I was genuinely nervous. I tried to run but felt my hamstrings started spasming. I prayed. 

I prayed a lot that last loop. And by the grace of God, with the woods storming behind me I finished. 

CHARACTERS: 

Lacey: So proud of her. She ran her little heart out, running her farthest trail run ever. She actually signed up for this race FIRST, and talked me into it! I love this girl. 

JOE:

This guy always makes me laugh, This was the text I got from him the night before, "Picked up your loopty bib and chucked it in the dumpster when I grabbed mine. Save you some disappointment.:)"

JOE tell Lacey "My only job is to beat Anita..." Joe did awesome. He only has one lung we found out. He was struggling to breath. I came into a loop and he was standing there with 2 black eyes. "JOE! what happened?!" I asked panicked he broke the bloods vessels in his eyes as a symptom of over exertion. YEAH, NOPE! He let Antonio's daughters put make up on him! 

Andy: Andy hasn't crewed me in a long time. He is so meticulous. We had our tent and the Complete Runner tent, he brought 2 tables, food, chairs, towels, the Theragun, ibuprofen and the list goes on. He was there almost every loop taking care of not just me but a lot of us runners.  

He jumped in to pace me at the last minute not knowing he could. He pushed me knowing I could do more than I thought. He had the biggest grin as I came in those last two laps. His smile for me was priceless. 

Nicole: It was her first go at 50 miles, and a trail run and she rocked it out! 

Ryan L: This guy is the most humble runner I know. He has such an amazing story. I love watching him run. He is so disciplined. He is one of the most polite runners I know. He did amazing running over 50 miles preparing him for Hennipen in the fall. 

Sean C.:

I have ran a few races with Sean. I saw him several times on the course, always smiling. We heard ice cream truck music in the woods, we thought we were hallucinating! Sure enough there was Valerie and another volunteer like angels with POPSCICLES! It was like mana from heaven! 

Mom and Dad: Do you have someone in you life you think "Why do they love me so much?" I think about them loving the way they do and I am in awe. So grateful for them always chasing me around, encouraging me, cheering for me, believing in me and supporting me. I love them so much. 

Antonio: I was coming out of the woods some loop around 4 pm and I heard him singing into a microphone. I couldn't quit smiling! 

Then next I knew he was running and pacing me. He was thinking for me and my goal became his mission. 

Great JOB out there, Christina and Brian, Brian ran his first 50K! Congrats to Claudia and Matt, Mark and Shirley and all those I am forgetting. 

Big thank you to Geneva and all the volunteers. The volunteers were so amazing.  

 "I thought I was broken but you were breaking ground on me." Tasha Layton 

So I never knew how many loops I was doing. I wanted to run not afraid of chemo, or injuries, or surgeries, 

I wanted to run with nothing left in me but my faith in God, with the strength He would give me. 

I wanted nothing left. 

I had no idea when I finished that I would end up first place OVERALL. 

I just couldn't process it. I haven't really posted anything about it until now. 

"Anita, can I just have 90 seconds of your time..." A woman I didn't know asked to talk to me as I was coming through the aid station...

Nikki P. pulled me side to share that she had 6 more treatments to go, TNBC. I felt the tears well up and just reached into to hold her. 

We FIGHT. We go another round, we never give up. And when its not our fight we get in the ring and help others fight. 

So many times I thought I couldn't go, broken...But God was breaking ground on me. 

Anita

Watch and Be

"Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing."

 Albert Schweitzer 

Wednesday, I went out for a solo run before work. It was a  5mile loop around my house. I had no ambition. For the last week, I have been dragging myself out the door. Most of my runs have been solo and have proved to be exactly what I needed mentally.  

As I ran down East Holly road, I tried to convince myself into running. One minute into another minute I felt my body slowly meshing with the idea of running. 

I tried to feel the elements of encouragement, the warmth of the sun against my skin, fresh air in my lungs, the smell of fresh cut grass, the sounds of the birds chirping...

The little things. 

I then let my thoughts wander to those who inspire me, encourage me... 

I thought of how many people I have learned from. I thought of how many mistakes I have learned to not make from others. 

I thought of all the painful mistakes I have learned from myself. 

I like to watch others. I learn so much watching others. 

Watch and Be;

Be inspired.

Be encouraged.

Be stronger.

Be secure.

Be confident.

Beware.

Believe.

You fill in the blank, Watch and Be_________.

LOOPTY LOOPS

This Saturday. 

My taper program has me running 19 miles this week, Tuesday-Friday running. 

Monday: 12

Wednesday: 5.5

Thursday: 3.1

Weekly miles:  20.6  

This week has been a struggle to lace up the shoes. One of the things I have learned is that when I am feeling the burn out it is best to give in a little then to risk loosing a lot. Tapering allows that and invites you to bring down the miles.

Loopty loops is a 3 mile loop at Bloomer Park in Rochester. I signed up for the 12 hour. The idea is to get as many loops in that time frame as you can. You can run, rest, or lolligag as much as you like! 

We have 70% storms on Saturday. That should make the course a bit interesting. Rain Runs! 

Some Basic thoughts on running 12 hours:

• If you think your going fast, YOU ARE. 
• Slow and steady, do not burn yourself out the first 6 hours. 
• Start out conservative. 
• Set you goal: Goal A, Goal B and  Goal C...
• Remember that every loop can be all together different than the next, don't quit. 
• Be conscious of the clock, your pace and your goals. 
• Eat and drink often. 
• Be mindful of the time you rest. The longer you rest the harder it is to get going again. 
• Change socks and shoes. 
• Encourage others when your struggling and it will encourage yourself. 
• Bring a smile, share a smile, don't forget to have fun! 

Idea: If I try to get 50 miles in 12 hours that would be about 17 loops. 

OR 14: 24 min miles.

Or I could run by loops, running the loops between 11-12min/miles and rest in between 

So many different variable and ways to do it. But for me, it is another training run. I am going out with Lacey, Andy is coming out in the morning to set up our tent and hang out with us. 

I look forward to having fun in the rain. The element of surprise is something I just LOVE!

Chris and I introduced Nicole to the trails Monday. She fell in love with them. She is running Loopty Loops too. Good Luck To Nicole! It is her first time at running a Ultra. I am very excited for her. She is going for 50 miles! She is one tough cookie! 

ANITA~

I would rather die of passion than of boredom. -- Vincent van Gogh

Things Unsaid

 

"And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Marianne Williamson

Jiminy Crickets! I have been absent. After running Charlevoix Marathon, I went into hibernation mode. Hibernation Mode basically defines as "Sensory Overload". I go into a quiet place, trying to regroup, recover and redirect myself. 

I briefly caught my breath and my sister came in to visit me for a week. We had a lot of fun but I lost another week of writing. 

MILEAGE

I have been running still. 

June 14-20: 43 miles, Charlevoix marathon week.

June 21-27: 68 miles

June 28-July 4th: 67.2 miles

July 5-11: 59.3 miles

My miles are in the zone for my training plan I use, I love Hal Koerners training plan. 

That may look like a lot of miles but I do the 80/20 rule. 80% of my mileage is at 20%  and 20% of mileage is at 80% effort level. 

 

NUTRITION

My nutrition is very important to me. The average SEDENTARY female should be consuming on average 46 grams of protein. Protein helps speed up the recovery process after exercise. 

My post run smoothies average between 25-35 grams of protein. I use high protein yogurt, collagen and plant based protein. 

I hard boil eggs, 1 egg is on average of 6grams of protein. 

I love beans, 1/2 cup of beans provides about 7 grams of protein. 

Upcoming Races: 

OPEN SESEME! Races are opening left and right! The more races open, the broker I am getting! 

This past Saturday I earned my first official DNF! Ode to Laz is a last man standing format. I ran over 16 miles. I had so much fun. After finishing, I crewed Andy to an epic 50 miles! He did so good! 

July 17th I am running Loopty Loops. I have signed up for 12 hours. I am excited to go run loops, play in the woods and get a long run in. Every race is a training run preparing me for the next thing. 

August is my more serious race, North Country 50K. This is the same weekend as the CRIM. Its gonna be a tough weekend. 

Everyday is a gift. It may seem like a lot but its living life again. Its doing the hard things, accomplishing dreams, overcoming fears and challenges and self. Its being depleted, emptied and having to rely on God. I love relying on God. This is one of the biggest reasons I run these crazy races, it is an intimacy I have with God. 

 Things UNSAID:

This past weekend I was part of a truly epic weekend. Ode to Laz is a 4.16 mile course that runners run over and over at the top of the hour until they either don't make it into the corral or they drop out. 

I have volunteered at this race since it started 3 years ago. 

I have watched grit, perseverance, guttural passion that will either ignite a flame in you or scare the hell out of you. 

The first year I volunteered  that damn cancer had hijacked my body and I fought to be normal, to feel alive amongst rockstars. I was bald, shallow, hairless and hurting. I hid my cancer from everyone behind a 70's black afro and iridescent body suit with bell bottoms. It was that day I fell in love with Sarah Moore. This girl gave those men a run like no other and beat them all 2 years in a row. 

I showed up this year with LIFE running through my veins. 

ALIVE! 

Full of zest and animation. I was ready to cheer on all those runners especially Andy to 50 miles and Sarah to victory. 

Sarah has been in my shadows since cancer cheering me on and supporting me with love and kindness. 

That girl ran 41 yards/ hours, 168 miles and came in 2nd. 

But I must share this.  

Sarah came into one of the later laps broken and crying. My heart was so heavy for her as she willed herself back to the starting corral. Her body breaking, her spirit crushed, her voices defeating her, she cried through the starting line. 

We all rushed to Andrews van to meet her down the course. We knew she needed a voice stronger than her own. We knew she needed us. 

When we arrived at the stairs the other 2 runners climbed up and out of the woods with no trace of Sarah. We screamed and yelled her name from the top. My heart was beeping, my chest was heavy with concern for her. We saw her walking to the base of the stairs sobbing. 

Everyone yelled at her their own version of encouragement and she yelled back, "NO, I am DONE..." 

She cried and told us all to "F-off". I fought the tears back myself. 

I remembered this pain. God I remembered being so defeated by my cancer. I remember being so sick and so tired and so broken. I remember trying to be strong for everyone else but I just wanted to curl up and die. "WHATS the POINT" she yelled. 

And with that I walked closer to her. I wanted her to see me. I wanted her to see the point. I wanted her to see you don't quit in the middle, you quit when your done. And she was not done with that loop. I wanted her to see that it didn't matter how ugly it was she just had to finish. I wanted her to see that I believed in her the way she believed in me. 

I didn't have to say much, truth be told that girl picked up her boot straps, wiped her tears and somehow passed those boys who were 4 minutes ahead of her and came into the finish line like a stallion! 

"Anita, what did you say to her?" they all asked me. 

"It's not what I said, its what her heard." I responded. She heard my heart. 

She heard all of us. She saw us all there for her. 

She ran the farthest she has ever on that course. She finished that loop and a few more. She finished in second place but with grit and grace. A true champion. 

Collision: I know I am not for everyone. There are people out there that do not like my energy. But truth be told, my energy, my passion, my zeal is not malicious, not mean, not hurtful. Those that love me, love my explosive personality! We were created to encourage, love, support and lift others up. There is so much power in that. When we see others hurting, get out there, get uncomfortable for the love of them. Get over your sensitive egos and lift those hurting up! 

Sarah and I. After her finish and a little recovery, I got to enjoy a hug with her. 

Anita