The Blue Ridge and Massanutten Mountains - In Pictures

"Who could ever guess that so rough a wilderness should yet be so fine, so full of good things." -John Muir

It's amazing what a weekend in the mountains can do for the body and soul. Yes, I went there. But, it's the truth. Sitting in an office for 40 hours week breathing recycled air and basking in the glow of artificial lighting takes it out of me. Thankfully, I'm not far from the Blue Ridge and Massanutten Mountains, their ridiculous beauty, and challenging trails. So, that's where I decided to spend my Memorial Day weekend.

Hawksbill Summit

For my first day, I went to the Shenandoah National Park. Part of the Blue Ridge Mountain range and Appalachian Trail (my favorite trail) lie within the Shenandoah. I decided to run a section of the AT I hadn't been on yet, between Skyland and Big Meadows. Starting near Hawksbill Summit, I soon reached the highest point in the Shenandoah, which is little over 4,000 feet. Taking a moment to pause and soak up the view is a must. Seeing so much natural beauty really puts life in perspective for me. Breathing in the crisp mountain air tingles all my senses and I feel at peace.

The thing I love most about running on the AT is that one minute you could be in the thick of the forest and the next you're in a beautiful meadow.

My favorite part about trail running is the freedom I feel. It's a chance for me to connect with the wilderness and appreciate its serenity. It might sound weird, but I get this primal feeling when I'm out on the trails. Almost like I've become part of them.

The terrain/surface of the AT is always changing. The trail is full a jagged rocks that make running on it tricky, but not impossible. The AT also likes to throw a few surprises as you. For example, coming around a bend and being treated to an amazing view.

I always wondered where the "Blue" from Blue Ridge Mountain came from. A quick search online and I found that they are referred to as the Blue Ridge Mountains because of an optical illusion that makes them look blue. The trees release isoprene into the atmosphere which creates a blue haze that encases the mountain tops.

See the blue?

The next day I headed to the Massanutten Mountains, which lie just west of the Blue Ridge within the George Washington National Forest. I hadn't been to Massanutten, so I was excited to explore a new area and trails. For my run, I ran on the appropriately named Massanutten Trail. I started near Camp Roosevelt on the eastern ridge of Massanutten. 

First, I headed south from Camp Roosevelt. As soon as I started running I was surrounded by a dense forest; the trail snaking its way along the floor. 

I encountered many ankle deep creek crossings along the way. It also seemed as if creeks where trying to form along the rocky trail itself. 

Eventually I broke into a small valley where tall pines and other trees dominated the lush forest floor. Through the tree trunks, I could see the sun shining on the ridge above. This picture doesn't do justice, but just take my word that it was beautiful.

Upon returning to Camp Roosevelt, I headed north to Kennedy Peak. It was a good climb to get up to the peak. But, just like any climb, the higher I got, the better the views became.

Kennedy Peak didn't disappoint. It was cool to look across the Shenandoah Valley and see the mountains I had run on the day prior.

The run from Kennedy Peak to Camp Roosevelt was all downhill and fast. It's fun to hammer hard down the trails. Running downhill is still my weakness, but I feel I'm getting better at it. I've learned that you just need to be a little fearless going down the steep descents and allow gravity to do most of the work.

When people ask me why I like trail running, it's for all the reasons above. Trail running is a chance for me to get away from it all and just enjoy being in a place full of raw beauty. Trail running also humbles me. It helps me realize and I'm just a small part of a huge thing. Life is about exploring. It's about challenging yourself. Trail running helps feed my life's hunger.

Race Recap: 24 Hour Adventure Trail Run

First off, I did not run for 24 hours, nor was that the plan. In preparation for my 100 miler next month in Utah, I needed to get a 50 mile long run in. When my long runs move over the marathon mark, I try to find races that I can use as training runs. Having the aid and company of other runners is something I always welcome on longer runs. The 24 Hour Adventure Trail Run (ATR) fit perfectly with my training schedule. I had run ATR events in the past and enjoyed them very much. The race director, Alex Papadopoulos, does a great job organizing these runs and I knew this race would be no exception. The race was also being held in one of my favorite places to trail run, Prince William Forest Park.

Having run in Prince William many times, I knew what to expect in terms of trail technicality, which for most part is pretty non-technical. But, Alex did a good job sneaking in some tricky sections that kept me on my game, especially as the race wore on. The course was a 6 mile lollipop loop that incorporated a few of the trail networks within the park. For the first loop, we were told to run counter-clockwise. After that, it was up to us which direction we wanted to run. The loop had about 600 feet of gain/loss and Alex mentioned during the pre-race brief that one direction would be a bit easier to run than the other. But, he wouldn't tell us which.

At 7am, me and about 75 fellow runners headed out into the beauty of Prince William Forest Park. It didn't take long for our small running pack to thin. About halfway into the loop there was an unmanned aid station that had two water coolers. One was filled with water and the other with Gatorade. Since I knew I'd be hitting aid every three miles, I opted to run with a handheld instead of my pack.

The Start

Earlier in the week we had received about 2 to 3 inches of rain so I was a little worried about how the trail conditions would be. To my surprise, they were in great shape. The temperature was floating in the high 50s at the start with the day's forecast calling for patchy clouds and a high in the low 70s. While the temperature was comfortable, something I didn't take into account was the humidity. I noticed as I was finishing up my first loop that I was already sweating pretty good. I knew then and there that the key to having a good day would be to stay on top of my hydration.

Right after you crossed the timing mats at the end of the loop, you entered a pavilion where the main aid station was. Next to the aid table were picnic tables were you could leave your drop bag. This set up made getting in and out of the aid station very easy. The volunteers were great. As soon as I would enter the aid station, they would ask if I needed anything. The aid table was stocked with all my ultra favorites; PB&Js, candy, cookies, chips, pretzels, soda. Throughout the day they would change up the menu with some other yummy treats like grilled cheese, pizza and these little potatoes things, similar to gnocchi, that were delicious. I ate so many of them!

As I set out for my second loop, I opted to run clockwise. Spring had recently sprung and the trees surrounding the course were bursting with life. It was refreshing to see so much green after the prolonged winter we had. Part of the course (2.5 miles or so) was on my favorite trail in Prince William, South Valley. South Valley parallels a beautiful creek and I always enjoy hearing its sound in the background. With all the rain we received, the creek was a bit higher and flowing faster which only enhanced its peaceful tone.

After completing my second loop, I felt that running clockwise was the better of the two directions, so I stuck with that for the rest of my run. Even though I was using this race as a training run, it's hard not to be competitive when you have a race bib attached to you. I was hoping to better my 50 mile PR so I wasn't holding back too much. I'm trying to become a better downhill runner, so I was really trying to pound down the descents.

One of the descents - Sporting my Nuun trucker hat

As the race wore on, I was feeling pretty good. But, judging by the slight headache I was starting to feel, I knew I was getting dehydrated. Dehydration is something I feel that I'm very vulnerable to because it doesn't take much for me to sweat...a lot. Even though I was drinking over 40 ounces of electrolytes every hour, it was hard for me to keep up with the amount of fluid I was losing. Each time I finished a loop, I would take in as much salt as I could. The aid station had salt pills (S Caps) that seemed to help in conjunction with my Nuun consumption. However, something I wish they had was just plain old salt. I know it might sound gross, but adding spoonful of salt in a cup of water does wonders for me when I'm dehydrated.

The last 15 miles were the toughest. The end of each loop always seemed to last forever. My energy level would start to get low and all I could think about was getting back to main aid station and restocking my body with salty goodness. My loop splits were getting progressively slower each lap, but that was to be expected as I took more time at the aid station towards the end.

My hat all salted up - Wore this for about 30 miles

Heading out for my eighth loop I had completed about 43 miles. I felt surprisingly good during the first half of the loop, but as I reached mile 46 my body was starting to give in. The last 4 miles were more of a power hike than a run, but I didn't care. I was well under my previous best time so I knew I just had to get to the finish to lock up a new PR. I needed to add an extra mile in to get my 50. So, near the turnoff to head back to the finish, I ran off course and did my own little out and back to make up the difference.

After I crossed the timing mats for the last time, I headed over to Alex to let him know I was done for the day. I had my 50 miles in the bag, my legs were spent and I was cramping pretty good from all the sodium I lost. I finished in 11:34:18, setting a new PR by 26 minutes! For the most part, I was happy with how my run went. However, I still need to work out the proper balance of food and fluid intake to maximize my running performance. Race or training run, I'm always learning something new. My thanks to Alex and the rest of the ATR crew for another great race. I had a blast! Congrats to all the other runners that ran some impressive distances.

No place I'd rather be

Lap Splits
1 - 1:08:25
2 - 1:13:27
3 - 1:20:09
4 - 1:22:32
5 - 1:26:20
6 - 1:29:12
7 - 1:36:20
8 - 1:57:32

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Boston Marathon Preview with Ali Mohsen

Ali at the 2013 Boston Marathon start

Hearts will be worn on all the runner's sleeves Monday at the 118th running of the Boston Marathon. But, this race will also be a day to celebrate our sport and show that terrorism will not scare us away from our passion. For my friend Ali, this is her chance to put the 2013 race behind her. Last year, Ali crossed the finish line hand-in-hand with her two friends 30 minutes before the bombings occurred. What was a joyous occasion quickly turned into a nightmare for her. Ali's Boston story is captured in a recently published book, If Not for a Perfect Stranger. Her story can be viewed here and I highly encourage you to read it before you read my interview with her. To Ali and all the other runners running on Monday, have a great race! I'll be thinking of you all! BOSTON STRONG!

Q: First and foremost, how has your training gone?
Ali Mohsen: Training has gone great!! I was not expecting to be training for this race, and was a little nervous to start training again with everything going on in my life. I got a new job in December, got married in March, and was still in the process of settling into a new home. Out of all of those things, training for Boston has been the easiest. Running is something I know and love. And it is the thing that really kept me sane the last few months while everything else was so crazy! In fact, the morning of my wedding I knew exactly what I needed to chill out – an easy run by myself :) 

Q: You were invited by the Boston Marathon race committee to come back and run in 2014. How did that come about?
AM: As of November 3rd 2013, I had not qualified for the 2014 race. When I did qualify at the NYC Marathon last fall, Boston was already closed to entrants. I was sad I would not be there, but accepted the fact that I would have to watch the race from afar and would be there to run again in 2015.

A couple weeks after NYC, I saw on the Boston Marathon Facebook page that they would be accepting a few entrants based on essays they submitted. The essay had to be based off experiences from the 2013 race and why you should be accepted to run again in 2014. As soon as I read this post, I wrote my essay. I think it took me 10 minutes to write, and within an hour I had submitted it to the BAA. I told myself that if I was accepted, I would not turn it down. I also told myself I would not be upset if my essay wasn't picked. 

The first week of December, I received the email that I was ACCEPTED into the race. I let out a high pitched squeal in Panera Bread and immediately called my husband to tell him the news. He was excited for me, and knew that this is something I really needed to move on from my 2013 experience.

If you want to read the essay, it is posted on this blog post. 

Q: What does it mean to be able to run Boston again this year?
AM: I am so excited to run this race again. And I am honored to be back. I know it will be extremely emotional, but it will be so good for our running community to experience this race together. This race will be dedicated to all of those affected last year, and I will be paying tribute to them with every step I take on that course. 

We will all run as ONE on marathon Monday and we will all heal together. We are stronger than ever before, and on April 21, 2014 we will prove that.

I cannot freaking wait. 

Q: Any goals on race day?
AM: No big goals for this race. I want to have fun and enjoy the experience. My training has been good, but not PR good. I would be absolutely thrilled with anything under 3:40. I will be running alone this year, and plan to focus on the experience and soak it all in. I will also be using my GoPro to capture moments so I can put together a video after the race and give people a feel of how awesome this race really is. 

Q: Do you plan to reunite with the 'Perfect Strangers' you met last year?
AM: As of right now, I do not have plans to reunite. I sent both of them emails today letting them know once again that I appreciated them so much and would be thinking about them when I am back in Boston. I wish nothing but the best for the people that took care of us when we needed it most. They are my Boston heroes!!!

Ali and her friends lay at the Boston Marathon finish line the night before the race

Race Recap: Trap Pond 50K

One word to describe this race, unexpected. But, unexpected in a good way. I stumbled across this race only a few weeks ago and found out it would mesh well with my 100 mile training. I love to use races as training runs when I can. Makes training more fun, especially when your long runs climb over the marathon distance.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love, LOVE, small race venues. I think they really target the roots of running. I grabbed my bib and was informed by the race director to head towards a pedestrian bridge to find the start line. I jogged over to where I saw a small group of runners. I saw a sheet of paper tacked to a trail post that said "50K Start" so I figured I was in the right place. 

The course, a 4.5 mile loop in Trap Pond State Park in lower Delaware, was mostly a crushed rock/sand surface. To complete the 50K, we would circle the loop 7 times. With only 13 runners (including myself), this was the smallest race I've ever participated in. There was also a marathon and half marathon going on concurrently, so the trails weren't too empty during the run. 

A simple countdown from three and we were on our way. One runner (and eventual winner) bolted off ahead the rest of us. I settled into a comfortable pace and enjoyed the scenery around me. The majority of the loop weaved around tall, beautiful pines. When I looked off the trail in any direction, my eyes got lost in the maze of pine trunks. Pine needles covered the forest floor and trail. With the sun just rising, it made for some awesome nature eye candy.

Sunrise at the start

After the first and second loops, I was in 5th place. However, I knew that the 4th and 3rd place runners weren't too far ahead as I would see them from time to time on the longer straights of the trail. Seeing them made me run a little harder then I had planned to, but I the idea of being able to run 3rd in a race was too enticing. So what if it was only a field of 13 runners? I had never run in 3rd place, let alone finish a race in 3rd, and I wanted it!

Goose chillin' on the side of the course

By the middle of the third lap (mile 12 or so), I caught up to the 3rd place runner. A quick thought crossed my mind to just settle in behind him and run his pace for awhile. But, I wanted 3rd, so I took it. Once I passed him I put in some harder miles to create a gap between the two of us. I quickly found myself in a position I'm not use to. I was 3rd in a race! It was a pretty cool feeling!

Loops four and five went pretty well for me. I was able to hold my pace, but my stomach was starting to bug me. For early April, it was pretty warm and I was sucking down extra fluids. Unfortunately, I think I over compensated on the fluids and as a result, was having hard time eating solid foods.

When I headed out for loop six, I was starting to feel pretty nauseous. The only calories I was able to take in for the remainder of the race was the Gatorade and soda at the aid stations. I was still able to maintain a pretty decent pace, but I was starting to suffer. When I set out on my last loop, I was running painfully slow. I was still in 3rd, but certain I was gonna get caught soon. Sure enough, 2.5 miles from the finish, the 4th place runner blew past me and all I could do was watch. I had nothing left in me to fight back.

The last two miles were pretty rough. The hard pace I had run earlier, the heat, and the lack calories all caught up to me. Needless to say, I was very happy when I reached the finish line. While I was disappointed that I missed out on finishing 3rd, a new PR helped cheer me up! 4:40:52! I had left everything I had on the course, so in the end, I was happy. My thanks to the race team that set up this event. Even though it was tiny, the support was great. I had a lot of fun!

Bad Training Run?

For every five good training runs, I have one bad one. What do I quantify as a bad training run, you ask? One where as soon as I head out the door, I feel flat. One where as soon as I start, I wanna stop. One where I question how the heck I'm going to achieve my goals when a 5 mile run feels like a 20 miler. One where I bitch and moan the whole time in my head (or out loud) and want to chuck my running shoes in the trash when I get home. Basically, what I'm saying is that we all have bad training runs from time to time.

However, there is good news. There is a way to turn a bad training run into a positive experience. There is a way to harness that bad feeling and use it to your advantage. How? I think we can all agree that we've run a race that hasn't gone quite to plan. We hit a wall. Our legs get heavy. We get a wicked side stitch. The list goes on and on....

When you're in the midst of training run that isn't going so well, use it as practice to understand what it feels like to run when you aren't at your optimum. In essence, train your brain (and body) how to run when you aren't feeling your best. As we all know, the mental aspects of running far outweigh the physical side. If we DNF a race or cut a training run short, it's likely because we allowed our brains to win the battle. However, if you rewire your brain during a bad training run and prove to that powerful mass of mush up there that YOU CAN run through the lows, you might just surprise yourself. And, proving the mind wrong has a very powerful impact.

It is only after we prove to our minds that we can overcome all the reasons why it is telling us to STOP that we discover what we are capable of. I believe that proving our minds wrong is the only way we excel as runners. When we first started running, we thought running a mile was far. But, once we realized we could run a mile, we began to wonder if we could go further? So, we tried for two, then three, four, and before we knew it, we were crossing the finish line of our first marathon. How the heck were we able to do that? Simple, we proved all the doubts in our mind wrong.

So, the next time you're having a bad training run, turn it into a positive experience. Learn from it. The result? The next time you're feeling bad you can tell yourself, "I've been here before. I've felt this way before. I know I can get through this."

Race Recap: Cherry Blossom 10 Mile

I must first start this post by thanking the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile race committee for selecting me as one of their social media runners. I had a lot of fun over these last few months and it was a tremendous honor to represent this event. To see and learn the amount of time, effort and logistics that go in to making this race possible was very eye opening. So, to everyone on the CUCB race committee, thank you for all you do. It is much appreciated!

Expo

The race weekend kicked off on Friday afternoon when the expo opened. I headed over after I got off of work and met up with Molly, who manages all of the CUCB social media accounts. We walked around the expo floor and chatted with some of the exhibitors. The expo was held at the National Building Museum and out of all the race expos I've attended, it is definitely the most unique venue.

Saturday, I spent of most of my day at the expo again, but the real highlight was attending the pre race VIP dinner. Many of the elite athletes were in attendance. Dinner was preceded by an open bar reception. I have no qualms about consuming adult beverages the night before a race and helped myself to a couple delicious beers.

During dinner, a short video played that showed clips from previous Cherry Blossom runs. Following the video, Phil Stewart (the race director) delivered a short speech. Also, a check was presented to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in the amount of $487,000! Over the course of the Children's Miracle Network Hospital's involvement with CUCB, 6 million dollars has been raised. Amazing! The evening wrapped up around 8:30 as the many athletes and race committee members in attendance needed to grab some much needed shuteye before the big day. I guess I needed to go to bed, too.

Pre Race Dinner

Social Media Team with US Elite Runner Tyler McCandless

After the horrible weather we had the weekend prior, the weather gods were on our side on race day. There was not a cloud in the sky as the sun rose over the start of the 42nd running of the CUCB 10 Mile. A friend and I took advantage of the free bike valet service provided by Two Wheel Valet and rode our bikes to the start. After catching up with Molly and some of my friends, I checked my bag and headed to my corral.

Hanging with friends before the start

My race goal was to PR. My previous 10 mile PR was set in 2012 at CUCB where I ran a 1:17:14. As a secondary goal, I was hoping to run a sub-1:15. I knew that if I could maintain a 7:30 pace, it was possible. My tempo runs leading up to race made me confident that I'd be able to run that pace. The race started without a hitch, but as with any race where you have thousands of runners around you, it was hard to find a clear running path the first couple of miles.

I tried not to stress too much about my pace and clicked off my first mile in 7:42. Once we reached the Memorial Bridge, I took advantage of the clear sidewalks to avoid the larger crowd of runners on the road. I was able to extend my stride and settle into a nice rhythm. I ended up running mile 2 in 7:16. Thinking that was a little too ambitious of a pace that early on, I tried to slow it back down, but my legs weren't having any of it.

By mile 4, the congestion on the course had improved greatly and my pace snuck down to around 7:10. In the back on my head I was wondering when I was gonna bonk. I knew I was going faster than I needed to, but this was the pace my legs wanted, so I didn't fight it.

Miles 6 through 9 is a part of the course many runners don't like, but I don't mind it. I think the loop around Hains Point is gorgeous and it's something I run (and bike) quite frequently while training. After rounding the tip of Hains Point, I decided to empty out whatever I had left in me and really push it to the finish. I ran mile 9 in 7:02. One mile to go!

Mile 10 was a blast as the crowd lining the streets started to pick up. For sure, their cheers helped turn my legs faster. Once the finish line came into view, I was in an all out sprint! Crossing the line I looked down at my watch and to my surprise I had beat my previous PR by almost 5 minutes! 1:12:35. I had also run my last mile in 6:48! I was beyond thrilled.

Finish Line

The entire CUCB race weekend was a total blast. To cap it off with a new PR was icing on the cake. Thanks again to the CUCB race committee for everything. This race is something I won't forget for a long time!

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Race Recap: Rosaryville Half Marathon

After having to sit out of my marathon last weekend because of food poisoning (Not fun. Don't recommend it.), I was very excited to get out and pound some miles on the trails of Rosaryville State Park. My friend Kristy came along to run in the 10K that was also being offered. This was her first trail race and she loved it. I hadn't run a race since my 50 miler back in early February, so it felt great to get out there!

The trails were in great shape and I had a very enjoyable run. Temperatures were in the low 40s, which made for pretty ideal race conditions (for me, at least). I had run in a 50K at Rosaryville back in November, so I was familiar with the trails, which are relatively flat and well groomed. I was pleasantly surprised with the pace I was able to maintain, given my lack of consistent training over the past couple of weeks. I hooked up with another runner around mile three and we trading setting the pace for the duration of the race. We had a nice conversation, which mostly evolved around west coast races and how awesome the trails are out there.

I crossed the line a hair under 1:53 and was happy with that. The aid stations were abundant and full of energetic volunteers; not something you always see at low-key races. The race director, Jim, did a phenomenal job. The course was well marked and the post race fare was great. Piping hot pizza, breakfast burritos, coffee, and lots of other goodies. We run so we can eat, right?

Overall, it was a super fun day. The race was put on by EX2 Adventures. I had never run a race managed by them and was thoroughly impressed. Would definitely run another one of their events. Looking forward to my next race, the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler! Gonna be a blast!

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Kristy and I, post race