State 27 - Kentucky!

Number 27 was my most impromptu marathon yet! It was also my first trail marathon. I was feeling a bit desperate for some adventure after 2020 smashed all of our plans and I thought maybe my fitness from Arkansas would get me through this race.

I wasn't wrong. But it wasn't the greatest idea I've ever had. 

The Falls 100 is a one hundred mile trail race in the middle of nowhere Kentucky. The race starts Saturday morning at 7 AM, along with the 50 miler and marathon. Here's where it gets interesting though; they also have a night marathon that starts at 7 PM. So in my head, I could leave Saturday morning, drive the 10 hours to the race, run, sleep, and drive back in time for school on Monday. I wouldn't even have to take a day off! Sounds like fun, right?

Then my helpful travel agent (Drew) found me a room in an ice cream parlor/boutique hotel and I was sold. How can I not run a marathon in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere Kentucky and also get to stay in an ice cream parlor??? 

So Saturday morning I set off for Kentucky. And that's really all I can say about that. I mean, it was a long, boring drive. 

Kentucky!

I packed lots of snacks and pre-race food so that I would be totally prepared and fueled for the race. I honestly think that might have been my biggest mistake. I showed up to the race full. Like really full.

Ready to run!

The night marathon started right on time, with all seven of us runners ready to go. We ran about a mile on pavement from the start through all of the camps of 100-miler crews to the trail. It was immediately uphill and I quickly overheated. I stopped to take my jacket off and shove it in my pack and by the time I was running again, I was alone. 

The course was fairly technical and super muddy. There were parts that I just had no choice but to walk because it was so slippery. I kept at it though and just kept moving forward. It was cool to see and talk to runners who were doing the 50 and 100 mile race. And I just love running in the dark. 

However, when I first tried taking a GU, I could barely get it down. My stomach was not happy with me. I kept trying to eat, but wasn't having much success. As I approached the big aid station half-way through the loop I was met with super helpful volunteers who asked what they could get me. I said my stomach wasn't feeling great and asked for ginger ale. The guy brought back a small cup of something light and clear and I drank. 

Not ginger ale. 

Pickle juice.

Yikes, that did not help my stomach. But I kept on moving. Each loop is 13.1 miles and I completed the first loop in about 3 hours. The second loop was much slower. It got very cold. I still wasn't having a lot of luck eating, and I was moving slow. But I was moving forward! By mile 25 it was so late, and I was so tired. I was just ready to be done. I might have cried. But kept going.

And finally finished. The finish line had a warming tent where they let me sit in front of a heater and drink veggie broth until I was ready to go. I was so happy to be done!

Crooked smile.

Fun fact about me; when I get really cold, the left side of my mouth stops working and when I smile it looks like I've had a stroke. See above. I was cold!

Now here's where things get interesting. The race was in the middle of nowhere and the ice cream parlor where I was sleeping was in a town about 20 minutes away, also in the middle of nowhere. I started driving but realized I didn't have service and couldn't get directions back. So I drove around middle-of-nowhere Kentucky for about 45 minutes in the middle of the night until my phone finally picked up service and I was able to get directions back. Not my favorite part of the trip.

I planned to sleep in on Sunday but my body wasn't having it. So I woke up and hit the road pretty early the next (same) morning. The race was fun and terrible. The trip was fun and terrible. It was exactly what I needed. Although I could have done without the lost-in-Kentucky part.

A few weeks after I ran, the race sent out an email letting everyone know that the park and trails had been sold and completely demolished and that the race was forever canceled. It was so heartbreaking but I'm so grateful that I took a chance and did this run when I could. It has been on my list for a long time and now it's gone. 

State 26 - Arkansas!

Another Girls' trip to somewhere in Smalltown, America! This time it was to Cotter, Arkansas for the White River Marathon. It was our first real race since the world shut down for Covid and I really needed some fun in my life! This time we dragged New-Britt along for the ride. She joined our running team and she's speedy and fun. Fits right in.

Made it to Arkansas with the Britts & Claire!

This was a pretty small race with a fast course and we all had big goals! AND, we convinced Claire to run with us too! She signed up for the half marathon!

Racing looks a little different in 2020. Masks and social distancing are all par for the course. They took our temperature as we went into the pre-race area. Luckily we all passed.

Racing 2020-style.

The race promised a flat course and it delivered! Unfortunately, I was never really able to find my groove and race like I had trained to. Britt & I started off running together, but around mile 7 she dropped back with hamstring issues. The course was an out-and-back, twice. It was really fun and energizing to see New-Britt coming back as I was going out. She is kind of a speed monster and full of energy... like in a good way.

The weather wasn't hot, and the course was as flat as you can get, but for some reason, I just couldn't get and stay on pace during the second loop. I tried positive self-talk and clinging to every cheer or song from the tiny crowd, but it just wasn't happening. I reached the aid station at mile 22 and they had run out of paper cups so I had to have a teenager pour water down my throat from a pitcher... germ-free of course! :)

I kept at it and never completely gave up, but man I wanted to. I had trained so hard for this and was hoping to run somewhere in the 3:20's, just to prove to myself that I still had it in me. In the end, I didn't. I finished just under 3:35, snagging my first BQ in years!

So ready to be done!

The crew. New Britt ran a 3:14! I told you she was fast!

We walked back to our car and drove back to our Air B&B, which was so damn cute... maybe the only cute thing in all of this crap-town. We cleaned up and spent the rest of the day drinking on our back porch. Our Air B&B owner's daughter drove and picked up Thai food for us that night because we were unable to drive. It was a really lovely time.

Working on our Beer-a-mid ♥

 So, it wasn't the race I was hoping for. But it was the race weekend I needed. 

State #25! Plus the Olympic Trials

Or... Life Before the World Shut Down.

Atlanta was our 10-year Friendiversary trip. Britt has been around for 10 years! How crazy is that? We were so excited because not only were we going for the Atlanta Marathon, but we were going for THE OLYMPIC TRIALS!!!! I went to the Olympic Trials in 2016 with Drew and it was so incredible. I was so excited to share the experience with Britt.

And Claire. Because Claire is always down for fun.

What's even more fun is that Oiselle was doing a huge meet-up that weekend. I took over as the Kansas Volee leader this year so it was exciting to get to meet so many other team members in person!

We arrived Thursday evening and were up bright and early on Friday morning for coffee and a team run with the Volee! The whole thing was like one big fashion show. It was so much fun to get to see the clothes on actual people!

Oiselle Volee Run!

 Claire even came along for the run!

Now we just gotta get her into some Oiselle gear.

 After coffee & donuts (from 5 Daughters!) we headed downtown for packet pickup. The entire day had a whole lineup of speakers and because it was the Trials, the speakers were all good. The city was literally taken over by runners. As we walked downtown we talked about how crazy it would be to bump into someone famous. And then...

O.M.G.

You have never met two more starstruck girls than when we saw Shalane Flannegan at a crosswalk. Britt timidly asked, "C-can we say hi?" And of course she said yes and Claire jumped in to take pics without letting us get too stupid.

We picked up our packets and settled in to watch our other idol, Kara Goucher, speak about women in sports. As soon as she was done we rushed the stage for a photo shoot bc we have no shame.

She's volee too so we technically run for the same team.

The rest of the day was spent watching speakers (Meb & Deena!) and I snuck away for a Oiselle leader meeting. I'm not great in a group of stangers and this was no exception... it was really cool to be around a group of women who are so confident. I'm more of a quiet leader. :)

Saturday! The day of the trials! The day started with a shake-out run with our bestie, Kara Goucher! Kara says she's only treated like a celebrity in instances like this and that usually she goes about her business and no one cares. We all cared. She was mobbed by people asking for photos (some people have no shame!). Since we had already gotten a pic the day before we decided to let her be and just try to run as close to her as possible to maybe get in some conversation.

By the end, everyone had gotten their pics and bolted. It was just me and Britt and Kara for almost a mile! She asked about our training. We asked about hers. We asked what she thought the athletes were going through as they prepped for the biggest race of their life later that day. It was super cool.

Okay, I snuck in a selfie... you know I have no shame.

After the shakeout run it was time for the TRIALS!!!!! Oh wow. We have been obsessing over this. Obsessing. We know the athletes. We know their training. We'd placed our bets. THIS. WAS IT.

The lead pack!

The race was a loop, so the athletes ran by us going in both directions a total of 8 times. IT. WAS. AWESOME. The lead pack was so tight the whole time, we just didn't know what was going to happen! After they passed us for the last time we headed into the running store down the street to watch the finish on TV. Aliphine took first... she wasn't on anyone's radar, followed by Molly who literally no one had heard of. It was in fact her first marathon! Sally rounded out the top 3 who will be heading to the Olympics (if those ever happen). Sally was one of my picks, but my top pick Des Lindon heart-breakingly took 4th. It was so much fun and so emotional. We weren't super into the men's race but it was super cool to see Abdi snag one of the top 3 spots because he is over 40! Wow! To be competing like that as a master is insane. What a day!

Off to bed early because Sunday was our race day! Neither of us had any goals for this race other than to have fun, check off a state, and have an excuse to wear matching outfits.

We took beers at mile 24 because... why not?

Finishing together!

Happy Friendiversary!

Getting up on this thing was tough after running 26.2

The day was followed by drinking too much beer along the Beltline in Atlanta. It ended with Britt puking in an Uber. I prob won't let her live that one down.

Pre-Uber Incident.

The next day we took an early flight home... I remember a guy wearing a mask on the plane and asking if I should be concerned about this Corona Virus thing... we all agreed it wasn't something to worry about.

Two weeks later and school was canceled. Races were canceled. Life was canceled.

I'm so grateful for this weekend of fun with two of my favorite people. I think we crammed enough fun into those few days to last us through the next however long until we get to do it again.