Ultrabuds

August 28, 2018

This is such a late recap and has been such a hard blog for me to write. I started several times, but writers block got the best of me. Why? Because this was my first DNF of my ultra career. I thought it didn’t mean that much to me, but apparently it did. This race really was an amazing experience though and I will be going back next year to finish it.

This whole 50 miler adventure started with a fitness friend of mine. You know, one of those guys who is like superman at the gym, never gets tired and you know it’s a good day when he doesn’t lap you during AMRAPs. When he asked me if I wanted to run a 50 miler with him and his buddies, of course I said yes. Not knowing the difficulty of the course, I signed up and started training. The venue started at Camanche Lake, about 20 minutes east of Lodi, CA and went 10k of elevation up and down along the Mokelumne River.  

During our training cycle, we did a 34 mile long run about six weeks before the race. I felt so strong, nutrition on point and confident! Than two days later… foot pain on my left foot started. Mobility and rest began. After two weeks of no running I got acupuncture and ART, which fixed the issue. Next day… calf strain. More rest and mobility. My new goal for the race was now to just be healed up and ready to go. I had the mileage and the strength, but with no running for 6 weeks could I really do this?

We arrived in the town of Lodi, two days before race day so that we had plenty of time to rest from the long drive. On race morning I was super pumped and excited! I got to race with my two trail buddies Matt and Matt, whose families, along with my husband, crewed for us.

The race began, and we found a chatty group to run with for the first 5 miles or so. There was an amazing sunrise and the views were gorgeous! Lots of climbing, but I took it easy and power hiked the uphills. Matt L., the faster of us three, started running his pace and sped ahead of us. Around mile 8, we crossed a river, where a man came out of nowhere and told us we were going the wrong way and that we were on private property. We back tracked about a mile and found the correct way, losing about 15 minutes. More climbing. Steep climbing. At mile 12 my knees started aching. I never have knee issues, but I kept to my positive mindset and continued. We went through cow pastures, more river crossings, and soon it was just Matt H. and I. Than no pink ribbons. Great, again we were lost. We back tracked again and found the right trail. Another 15 minutes lost.

As the morning went on the heat started to turn up. During our training cycle back home, it didn’t get too hot, so we weren’t able to do much heat training. Of course, there was a storm the weekend before the race at Mokelumne, but lucky us our race was on the first hot day. This started to affect me, but I ignored it and knew that my husband and crew were only a mile away.

Our crew was awesome! It felt so good to hear the hoots and hollering as we became visible to them. Spirits were high and for the most part we still felt good. I quickly ate some PB and J sandwiches, chugged my Gatorade and refilled my pack. We would see them again right before the turn around point at mile 22.

It got hotter, the hills got steeper and the walking breaks became more frequent. I mentally powered through it and concentrated on my breathing and meditation. I checked my watch and now started to worry if I would make the cut off times. I started to get ahead of Matt a little, but could see him behind me. As we approached the next aid station my husband and crew members ran out to me, encouraging me to get moving and that I was close to the cutoff. As my husband Kyle refilled my pack, I ate some fruit quickly and chugged more Gatorade. I had to run 4 more miles at an 8 minute pace to make the cutoff. Kyle ran the 4 miles with me through climbs and rolling hills. Him, being a soccer player, an 8 minute pace is slow. To us ultra runners, an 8 minute pace is fast, especially when you are already 20 + miles in. I didn’t talk much during these 4 miles and just put one foot in front of the other and followed Kyle in front of me. As I reached the turn around point my heart sank as I saw the aid station volunteers were already packed up and ready to drive away. I was 40 minutes behind the cutoff time and knew that I had a DNF. Emotions were all over the place, but no tears surprisingly. I’m not used to failing, but how do you know what you can accomplish until you try right?

Kyle ran back to the aid station while I waited for Matt. He was about 30 minutes behind me and again my heart sank when I saw the disappointment on his face. His family ran the last 4 miles with him too. DNF. The volunteers drove us back to the aid station in pretty much silence. We got into our cars and drove back to the next aid station to cheer on Matt. I was happy to know at least one of us would cross the finish line.

March 22, 2018

I have been an Injinji fan for years now. I can’t remember exactly how I was introduced to the product, but I am telling you, once you go toe sock you never go back! I started with the basic trail running sock in crew and ankle, then later paired their liner sock with my wool socks for hiking. I knew this was the best brand out there when I hiked Mt. Whitney in 15 hours with NO blisters or hot spots at all. Every trail run I do, I have my routine now of lubing up with some vas between my toes first, then putting on my Injinji socks and I am good to go for at least six hours.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit the headquarters here in San Diego and meet with Claire, the Brand Manager, who gave me a history of the company, a tour of the facility and introduced the new product line to me. I learned that Injinji is a family run company that started in 1999 in Pacific Beach.  The toesocks were originally created for ultrarunners, specifically those running the Badwater in extreme temperatures. The founders wanted to create a sock for these runners to avoid friction and blisters between the toes to create more comfort for the feet. This innovation initially was made for a running sock, but later the technology evolved into other sports such as hiking, snowboarding and soccer.

Why go toesock you ask? The main benefit for this technology is blister prevention. Since each toe is separated there is no skin-on-skin friction, hence no blisters develop. The second major benefit of the separation is moisture management or how the material wicks away sweat from your feet. If your feet stay dry, your feet are more comfortable and can function for more miles and longer hours. Another major benefit of the toesock is total foot utilization, meaning since all the toes are separated, no toes are bunched together, allowing your foot to use all of the toes how they are meant to be used.

Being a marketing guru myself, I asked Claire how Injinji was able to market the product during a time when social media was non-existent. She shared stories with me on how the founders would load up a van with a ton of socks, drive out to the ultra-races and hand out samples to the runners. Their growth was built on word of mouth, influencers and race directors who all believed in the product and had tested them out themselves.

The new product line for ultra-runners is the Ultra Run sock. This sock is the previous midweight sock with a thicker cushion that doesn’t stop at the toes and goes all the way through both the foot and the toes, and not just underneath but on top as well. This will give even more comfort to runners who are on their feet for longer hours and on uneven terrain. These new socks are now available in both women and unisex fit and in both the crew and no-show styles.

If you are skeptical of the toesock innovation, I highly suggest you just try out a pair! Give it a run or two on some serious technical terrain and miles and I guarantee you will notice a difference.

March 6, 2018

In December 2017 I ran the Del Dios Half Marathon, another Endurance Race Series event. Despite the unexpected dry and hot weather, I enjoyed the course, the people, the shirt, the medal and most of all the post-race buffet. Even though the race in December was fun, I was disappointed with my finish time of 2:20 and placing 5th in my age group, so immediately I signed up for the next race in the series, the San Pasqual Half in February.

I was excited for this race because of the challenging climb up Raptor Ridge, not one time, but two times in this race. Uphill has always been my strong point, but when going downhill, I tend to put on the brakes. I began training with my coaches more on my balance, mobility and lateral movements along with strengthening my legs with box jumps, step ups, squats and deadlifts. I kept to my normal run schedule of 4-5 times a week on the trails with a mix of flats and hills and lots of heat training.

The week before the race I co-hosted a training run with Ultrabuds and ERS that would include the two climbs of Raptor Ridge. I know I could easily do it once, but I lacked the confidence of being able to do it twice without walk breaks. I arrived at the group run early with a few others, so that I could get three climbs in with a total of 11 miles. I left that day feeling super confident and ready to go for race day.

On race day I arrived early to pick up my bib and say hi to all my friends (and mom) who were volunteering that day. I warmed up with our other Buds, the San Diego Trail Club, which included dynamic stretching, running and some light yoga. The start was cold of course, and I fought the adrenaline rush to stay in the front and pass everyone in the beginning. I kept to my pace, saving my strength for the two climbs. During the first climb, I was able to pass three people which boosted my spirits. On the first downhill, I trusted my training and took off the brakes. At about mile 6 is when I started to see the runners in the front come back. I counted the number of females ahead of me. There were 12. I got to the turnaround where my friends from MROC were volunteering. Hearing their hooting and hollering gave me a boost and I quickly filled up my water and kept going. On the way back right before climb two, I got another boost from seeing my SDTC friends and exchanged words of encouragement. As I ran up and down Raptor the second time I passed four more people. 10 females now in front of me. Only three miles left and flat to the finish. I saw my mom at the second to the last aid station. She filled my water and threw sport beans in my mouth. Off I was. I was racing. 9 females in front of me, 1.5 miles left. Last aid station I ran by in a full sprint now. 8 females in front of me. I rounded the bend, saw the finish and gave it everything I had, crossing the line at 2:10:19. I knew I was the 9th female, but I had no idea what age group the others were in.

I headed to the buffet table where I had an ice-cold Gatorade, a veggie burger and yogurt. I relaxed with my friends, took some pics and cheered on the finishers as I patiently waited for the times to be posted. All I was hoping for was 3rd in my age, an improvement from my last race. I was stunned and excited to see that I came in 1st in my age group! All that hard training, working with my coaches, counting my macros and properly hydrating myself daily all paid off! It is a great feeling to have – the best runner’s high, when you finish a race successfully and meet your goals.

Again, another huge shout out to RD Jeff Stoner for putting on a super fun trail race! Challenging course, spirited volunteers, a motivating MC and of course the best buffet and beer at the finish line. Looking forward to the last race in the Sunshine Series, the Coast to Crest 10k coming up on March 10th!

February 23, 2018

Like many other runners, in the past I never really spent much time strength training. I would work on strength maybe one time a week, do yoga one time a week and then run 5-6 days a week, depending on my training schedule. Two years ago, that all changed when I started training at a gym where the head coach, who had run ultras in the past, taught me the importance of strength and conditioning. I now strength train 4 times a week, mobility 3 times and week and run 3-4 times a week. This new routine has made me stronger, faster and less prone to injury.

A well-respected coach to many ultra-runners and elite athletes in San Diego, is Aubyn Grant with Aubyn Grant Fitness. I had heard a lot about Aubyn from others in the industry and a couple of friends who train with her as well. I hit her up and asked if I could interview her to share the importance of strength training for ultra-runners and tips and techniques to be a stronger runner. She agreed to let me interview her, and I drove an hour down to La Mesa to meet her at her home gym.

I was greeted at the door by the cutest golden retriever and got along right from the start with Aubyn. She is a no-bullshit kind of lady (which I absolutely love!) and very passionate about fitness. We drove down to the Public Square where I was introduced to kefir soda. Delicious! Here is where we got to chat a little about her passions, how she got started with her training and how ultra-runners lack on strength and conditioning.

Tell us a little about you and your background as an athlete.

I’ve always been an athlete. I grew up in a small town where we had trails everywhere. I would go along with my dad on his 5ks and 10ks and run the races with him. Running was running – whether you ran on the trail or on the road. I also grew up riding horses. I rode English and had nice high-level horses and was responsible for not only myself, but for training an animal as well. I did gymnastics until I was 12 years old, which taught me a lot about body placement and athleticism. Other sports included track and field and basketball. Years later I kept with running and fell in love with CrossFit.

How did you get into personal training?

While doing CrossFit I ended up coaching their endurance program. Eventually I left there and started to do personal training on my own. I got my personal training certs and then got introduced to kettle bells and started applying that to running.

What is strength training?

To get stronger! Someone who is an ultra-runner has a different strength than a power lifter. Look at your goals and events and then work backwards from there and apply the strength. Strength training makes you better and indestructible. It is injury prevention, good mobility and starts from being able to move your body exactly how it needs to move in the most efficient manner to be the best at what it is you are training for.

What are some must-do exercises for runners?

I don’t’ see runners doing strength period, especially ultra-runners. They think it will break them down, make them too thick from muscle and take away from their runs. It is just like running on a Sunday after a Saturday long run. You know you are not going to be as good because you are running on tired legs. But that is training! What I see in ultra-runners are that they are weak and have terrible mobility. Runners need to focus on single leg extremity strength. It doesn’t have to be heavy! Running is a series of jumping and landing. Focus on plyometrics such as box jumps, jumping rope, single leg hops, forward and back, lateral and side to side. Lots of lateral movements! Single leg deadlifts which strengthen the feet, single leg squats and Bulgarian split squats. Also, lots of shoulder and upper body exercises to prevent shoulder injuries and increase shoulder mobility. If you are carrying a pack when you are running, you start to get tired, round your shoulders, lessening your lung capacity. Lastly, core strength and core stabilization. Exercises include battle ropes and kettle bell swings.

How often should ultra-runners strength train?

Two days a week. One day is not enough to make change but better than nothing. Ultra-runners should take an off season and that is when you should be hitting the gym hard and building on your strength.

Lastly, how do you get the most bang for your buck when working with a trainer?

Come ready to work! I generally have people that I am more joyful to work with than others because of the attitude they bring. I want to work harder for them, because they want to work harder for me. Ultimately, they want to work harder for themselves. If I have to keep redirecting you, you are not getting the best of me and you are not getting the best of the training session for yourself. Do what you need to do to make sure you come in ready to work. Use a pre-workout, such as coffee, great music, leave your phone outside. Leave your problems at the door for one hour. Don’t make us ride you. This is your success! I don’t take any pleasure in nagging people. Take some accountability for your own success. Just come in and do work. Show up, don’t cancel all the time and don’t complain about the results you didn’t get from the work you didn’t do.

February 15, 2018

I’ll be honest, before this screening, I didn’t know who Billy Yang was. What I did know was that if my trail friends down south were willing to drive almost two hours in traffic on a weeknight to see this film, then it must be good. Since the screening was being held about three miles from my house, I really had no excuse not to attend. I agreed to meet my friends and stay up past my 8pm bedtime. The screening was being held at Stumblefoot Brewery, in the San Elijo area of San Marcos. They are a smaller tasting room with regular food trucks and known for their Double Peak IPA, which is named after the local trail Double Peak and Midnight Run, an Imperial Double Stout.  

When I arrived at the brewery I was greeted by an Elevation Culture employee, who handed me a wooden race medal. Wow, this medal is amazing! On the front was the carved Billy Yang logo and on the back the question “What is Your Why?” and space that we were later told for us to put our why. I met up with my friends, from the San Diego Trail Club and unfortunately, since I was counting my macros with my coach and doing a booze-free week, I was not able to enjoy a pint or the tacos that were being served. There were lots of familiar faces at the event – people I follow on Instagram, people who follow me, and good ol’ George from the Running Center, who was celebrating his 75th birthday.

The screening was shown in a huge room next door to the tasting room with a wonderful introduction of Billy Yang from Eric, the founder of Elevation Culture. Yang expressed to his audience that he made this film not for us ultra-runners, but for the family and friends of ultra-runners. (Darn! I really wished my husband came with me to this!). The film was a 30 minute motivating piece as to why us runners run 100 miles. It took place at the Leadville 100 race, which displayed Yang’s personal struggle on this amazing accomplishment and finish. When the film ended, myself and others next to me were feeling so pumped and motivated. I had just recently signed up for my first 50 miler, which will be this April, and all I could think about was waking up early the next day and hitting the trails.

Yang than started a dialogue with the audience and asked people to raise their hands if they had ever run an ultra before. I could not believe how many hands went up! There are so many ultra-runners in our San Diego community and the positive energy was felt throughout the whole room. The audience than made their way back to the tasting room where a raffle went on giving away free race entries and other running goodies. I took this time to introduce myself to Yang, tell him my thoughts on the film and snapped a quick photo so that the next fan could meet him.

So what is “MY” Why? Why do I run so much and am more excited to go to bed early on a Friday night to wake up early and run for hours the next day instead of going out with my friends to dinner and breweries? Why do I continue to torture myself with cramps, soreness, chaffing, headaches and black toenails? Why do I wake up at 4am during the week to strength train before work? Why do I count my macros, meal prep, watch my alcohol intake and take my vitamins? Why? I am not a sponsored runner. I do not get paid to do this. There is no huge monetary prize at the end. No one is making me dedicate my time and commit to such a challenge. My Why is because I can. Because one day I won’t be able to. Until that day comes, I run.

February 6, 2018

I am a huge advocate for volunteering. Not all of us have the means to donate money to causes, but if we truly want to, we can donate our time. Usually my volunteering consists of marketing and coordinating dog rescue events (I’m a big pit bull advocate), coordinating large groups of volunteers or working registration tables at local 5ks. I have never volunteered for an ultra-race though.

Since the San Diego 50 Miler and Marathon wasn’t on my race schedule this year, I decided to volunteer and give back to the wonderful ultra-community. When I race, I am always so thankful of the volunteers cheering me on, putting ice down my sports bra, and just giving me that smile to help me keep going. I know how much it means for a stranger to hand me Vaseline or a shot blok just when I need it.

I was assigned the aid station at mile marker 10/40 and arrived around 6:45am wide awake and ready to go. I met our Aid Station Captain Brian (the RD for The Lost Boys and Noble Canyon) and the rest of the crew. We began with making PB and J sandwiches, cutting oranges and setting out all the goodies for an amazing spread of options. As we prepared for the runners to start coming in, Brian handed me a clipboard to yell out and write down bib numbers as the runners passed by me. If you know me, you know there are a few things that make me very happy – a whistle, a megaphone or a clipboard! I was in heaven and in my element.

As the runners came in, I took my job seriously (I didn’t want to get fired ya know?). I wrote down the bib numbers and tried to give off as much positive energy as I could. The weather was dry and hot and a lot of runners were not happy campers. As the runners came back to the aid station from the out and back, this is where they needed us volunteers the most. This is when they need that pick me up, humor, Vaseline and someone to lie to them as to what the temperature really was. It was so motivating and inspiring to see some of these runners dig deep and push through the conditions and the pain of being a distance runner.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay all day, so I only saw the top three 50k runners coming back through the aid station. These three made it look so easy, were in good spirits and were FAST! I didn’t even run that day, and I was on a runner’s high myself from all the people I met and conversations I had. If you can’t race a race due to injury, low training, etc, I highly recommend you volunteer at an aid station! It is a wonderful way to give back to the runners who were there for you once, or who will be there for you in the future.

January 26, 2018

On New Year’s Day in 2016 we took an Ultrabuds adventure. With a 4am wake up call, we headed out to Palm Springs, the day after a major storm, to hike to the summit of San Jacinto. The snow was so thick (up to our thighs) that we were forced to turn around with one mile left to the peak. Clouds were rolling in, our hands were freezing, and champagne at the tram restaurant was calling our name. We decided that day that every New Year’s we would celebrate our friendships and new goals with an Ultra adventure.

For 2018, Ultrabud Jeff Coon suggested we check out the trails near the PCT in the Campo area of east county, San Diego. Darcy and I had never been before, and we were stoked to visit some new trails. We arrived to the Lake Morena campground around 8am, paid the $3 parking fee and started our ascent. It was freezing, but we sucked it up knowing it would warm up quickly. I took the lead, followed by Darcy and Grumpah was in the back. (Someone had one too many beers the night before). The climb uphill was gradual and at the top we had a pretty view of Lake Morena. The sky and water were so clear and blue that we stopped for a while to enjoy the lake. We than headed down towards Hauser Canyon. It was a fun gradual downhill of single track with a nice mix of sun and shade. When we reached the edge of the canyon, again we were greeted with some amazing views. 

By this time, it had warmed up, but still cool enough to stay comfortable. Perfect running temps! Climbing back out of the canyon was a great workout, but not too challenging. As always, on the run back, all we could talk about was beer and food. When we arrived back at the car, the total out and back mileage was only 8 miles, but perfect for an easy run with friends, especially after so much drinking and eating from the holidays. Although there were rumors of a mountain lion on the trails, we were lucky not to run into one or any snakes.

Since we finished so early, and Jeff wanted more of an adventure, we decided to take the drive down to the border to see where the start of the PCT was. Just a few miles south of Lake Morena, the drive should have only been 5 minutes, but with Jeff and his “shortcuts” it took us about 20. When we arrived, it was so inspiring to see the PCT sign, the sign in box and a few PCT’rs ready to start their adventure. We wished them good luck, took some pics and headed off, our minds wandering as to whether this would be a future goal of ours sometime.

Next stop – food and BEER. It isn’t an ultra-adventure without some good craft beer, so we headed to Alpine Beer Co.  I was excited to have some of their Truck Trail, a pale ale with the perfect mix of bitterness and malty sweetness. Unfortunately, since it was a Monday, the brewery was closed. (Bad planning on our part). Good news is that we ended up eating at an amazing breakfast spot called Franco’s Flapjacks. A mom and pop restaurant, but with portions so large and coffee mugs that hold a REAL cup of coffee, it was the perfect post-run meal. After breakfast we headed home with full bellies, no injuries and not too tired where we needed a nap. Usually our adventures consist of blood and getting lost on the trail, so I would say this was a very successful trip. My only recommendation would be to make sure the brewery is open beforehand, or to be sure to have a cooler with some cans in the trunk.

January 18, 2018

Finally, I got to race an ERS (Endurance Race Series) event! I’ve known Race Director Jeff Stoner for years, but the dates have never lined up with my schedule, so I was super excited to not only do one of his races, but it had also been four years since I had done the half marathon distance. Since this was a local event, I was able to check out the race course ahead of time. No real climbs, so my goal was to set a new PR of a sub 2 hours and to finish in the top 3 of my age group.

I was pumped at the start since a few of my friends were volunteering at the race and several friends were running it, including my mom! (5k option). Like many people, I usually have an issue of going out too hard, too soon, so I made sure to keep checking my pace of 9:30 on my watch. The first few miles were nice and easy, and I didn’t even stop at the first aid station. I had my own Nathan Speed Draw handheld, holding 18 oz of water and a couple snacks. The conditions were super dry, windy and it started to get hot fast. At about mile 5 I already knew I probably wouldn’t set a PR, since the heat was making me sluggish. No biggie though. I ran my race for me and the trail life is what makes me happy, so I just kept to my now 10:00 pace.

By the time I got to the next aid station I was out of water. I filled up quickly, ate my fig bar, a margarita chew for sodium, and continued. I had never been this so far east of Lake Hodges before. The views were gorgeous with lots of single track, my favorite! It continued to get hotter and felt like it was about 80 degrees, which is odd for a December race, but hey, it’s San Diego where there is only one season.

There was a slight hill at the turnaround, but I love hills and powered my way through it. On the way back, I saw some familiar faces, which gave me a pep in my step, despite the wind getting worse and the blazing heat. At the next two aid stations I dumped water on my head and took a good three minute break at each one to cool off. I knew I was losing time during these long breaks, but I would rather cool off than have nausea or vomiting later.

With one mile left of the finish line and the sounds of the MC were in range, I took off the breaks and began to run hard. I took everything I had left in me and passed seven people before the finish line. I ended with a time of 2:20:30 and got 5th in my age group. I didn’t meet my goals regarding time, but not every race I do and that’s ok! It was a challenge with the weather, but I loved the course and still had fun. The buffet of food at the finish line was amazing, including everything from salty to sweet and of course BEER. The medals were awesome, and the race shirts were super cute and comfy.

If you haven’t checked out an ERS race yet, I highly recommend you do the next one! Pretty courses, awesome volunteers, great swag and a wide spread of food and drinks at the finish. Thanks ERS!

January 12, 2018

Trail friends are the best friends. I met Darcy and Daniel on the trails. A couple of other crazy minded individuals with fitness addictions, ripped arms and sarcastic personalities. Just my style. Darcy was first, Daniel second. Together we wanted to motivate our fellow running buds to push hard and further so we created the running group Ultrabuds. Darcy and I met at an event called The SUCK, where individuals showed up with a ruck, two 30 lb sandbags, a spare tire and a sledgehammer at 7pm on a Friday night. We packed enough water, nutrition and clothes for a 12-hour, overnight endurance event in the Rancho Penasquitos Canyon. During those 12 hours of running, calisthenics, hill climbs, heavy carries and even swimming through a swamp at 3am, you form a bond with fellow athletes. I remember Darcy and I bushwhacking and sliding on our butts down a hill called Ass Scraper, so fatigued and drained that all we could do was laugh. After completing The SUCK we continued our friendship through training, beer drinking and of course trail running. About a year later we met Daniel on the trails as well. The same crazy mind as us, dying for the next challenge and motivating others and of course the beer drinking too. After many miles and many beers, the three of us decided to start Ultrabuds – a running group for ultra runners, trail runners and mountain runners.

Our goals were simple – to run as many miles as possible, go on outdoor adventures, drink beer and have fun! Fast forward to two years later, we have now launched a clothing lifestyle brand for runners. I mean, why not right? Headquartered in San Diego, CA we motivate and inspire fellow athletes to not only race ultramarathons, but local, cheesy 5ks (Donut Run anyone?) and to get outside of their comfort zones. Point being to stay active, continue challenging ourselves and making sure we visit all the local breweries. (Mother Earth and Karl Strauss are our favs). Our clothing and accessories may be small for now, but keep checking back to our online store for new products to come. We have lots in store for the Ultrabuds and would love for you to join us on our next adventure!