Run It Fast®

Here are the finisher’s medals from the Maritime Race Weekend/Tartan Twosome that took place on September 12-13, 2014 in Eastern Passage & Cow Bay, Novia Scotia, Canada.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Ashley Pilkey – follow him on Twitter @ashleypilkey]

The Unspoken Rules of Being a Badass:

1. First rule of being a badass. A badass does not talk about being a badass. Period.

So many runners break this rule. It is the most important badass rule. Even if you are a badass, stating it to others, automatically disqualifies you from being a badass! There is no exception to this rule.

It’s fine to post to social media about your run/race result and how you placed or finished. It’s not ok to call yourself a badass in that same status update or hashtag. Our friends are extremely praiseworthy when we share our accomplishments on social media. If they read your update and you did something even borderline badass you can be sure one of them will anoint you ‘Badass’ in your comments.

However, badass is an often overused phrase even when others use it to respond to something you’ve posted on Facebook. It’s almost become code for “Good Job!”

True badasses are called badasses behind their backs when others are talking about them without their knowledge.

Let someone else annunciate your badass coronation!

2. A badass does not try to be a badass or look tough. A badass simply is a badass. A badass stays true to themselves, always. This means being themselves for themselves, and not being fake to impress others..

This one is pretty self explanatory! Be you!! If you cheat, cut courses, hop in vans during a race to get to the finish, or exaggerate/lie about your achievements to sell books or garner sponsorships then you are not a badass. Instead you are just a very bad person.

3. A badass does not give up. Badasses will always push themselves for the better, no matter how hard it gets.

Every runner you’ve ever considered a badass has had one thing in common, that’s that they never give up, no matter how tough it gets, or the unseen obstacles and hurdles that might pop up and slap them in the face along the way.

4. A badass is not a jerk! A badass does not prey on the weak. A badass shows kindness in return to those who are kind.

We all know sub-3 marathoners, elites and even non-elites, that have amazing running resumes, but who are simply jerks to others, and runners they consider ‘beneath’ them, by refusing to take photos, acknowledge, etc. You aren’t a badass if you are jerk to others, period.

5. A badass knows his or her limits. Don’t be stupid! You’re not Superman, you’ll die if you jump off a building.

If you end up in the ambulance week in and week out before, after, or during a race then you are just being stupid, putting yourself and others in danger.  Don’t be a dumb-ass!

6. A badass does not make enemies or go looking for fights. They don’t fight fights that aren’t worth fighting either.

Fights might find a badass, but that’s usually out of jealous or envy from the other party. A badass won’t go looking for a fight, but he or she sure knows how to end one or is smart enough to walk away from something stupid (see #4 and #5).

7. A badass doesn’t have to be a certain age. There are no age restrictions or expiration dates to being a badass.

It doesn’t matter if you are 12 or 92, a badass is a badass. Although if they are a minor you might simply want to refer to them as a “bad donkey!”

8. A badass isn’t always the fastest or strongest. However, a badass will grit & grind and give it all he or she has to achieve a desired result or help someone else out in need.

There is no BQ or shiny 100-mile buckle required to be a badass. Often times the most impressive badasses are those that have overcome hardships, bad luck, minimal talent, a disability, or something else that the elite runner never has to endure or even consider along their way to glory. You can totally be a badass by sacrificing your race to help a fallen runner or help another runner finish that likely would not have finished without your encouragement, support, and company.

9. A badass is not afraid of a challenge or failure. Most badasses have no noticeable fear because they aren’t afraid to fail. They’ve failed before and realized it wasn’t the end of their inquisitiveness. This enables them to take on and often knock off major challenges that others wouldn’t dare attempt.

Badasses have scars, and those scars are often from failures, messing up, or misstepping. A badass will take on epic things because he or she knows that true failure comes from a lifetime of regrets of not trying or attempting to maximize their talents or gifts.

10. A badass never takes him or herself too seriously

Seriously!

These are simple and easy rules to follow to help determine if someone else is in fact a badass.

Once you start calling yourself a badass, a blatant violation of rule #1, you become a Kanye West-like caricature of running grandiloquence.

When that happens, no matter if you are the greatest, or a tough mofo, you automatically will rub people the wrong way and trigger them to pick you apart or look for reasons to counter your self-proclamation.

Clint Eastwood never had to grab a megaphone and tell the world that he was a “Badass,” but almost every human on the planet knows that Eastwood was, and remains to this day, a badass of epic badassery.

A runner’s legs and drive, not their mouth, determine one’s badassery!

Siri chimes in with her thoughts on what constitutes a badass. You’ll also note in the graph above the extreme usage uptick of the term in the past decade.

The term originated in the United States in the 1950’s as a slang term combining the words bad+ass according to the British Dictionary.

Oxford Dictionary

badass (n.): A tough, uncompromising, or intimidating person: one of them is a real badass, the other’s pretty friendly

A formidably impressive person: she is so wonderful, so sweet, so rad, so amazing; she’s a badass

badassery (n.): behavior, characteristics, or actions regarded as intimidatingly tough or impressive. See: Seal Team 6; people saving other people from sharks; most things done by Samuel L. Jackson

Don’t judge anyone too harshly for calling him or herself a badass. They likely are just uninformed of these unspoken rules and have likely fallen into the trap of our current over-usage of the phrase. Now you can simply point them to these rules by sharing this post.

[Rules 1-6 via Urban Dictionary. Rules 7-10 and all commentary by Joshua Holmes]

Top Photo – Badass Legends of Running: Ted Corbitt, Gordy Ainsleigh, Steve Prefontaine, Meb Keflezighi

Vote for the Best Race Medal for the Week of September 8, 2014(poll at bottom of the medal photos)

Run Woodstock Mellow Marathon & Hippie Half Marathon Medals

Tupelo Marathon & Half Marathon Medals

Rock ‘n’ Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon Medal

Bozeman Marathon Medal

The Oak Tree Half Marathon Medal

Divas Half Marathon Medal

Meet RIF #319 Yolanda Holder, the “Walking Diva.” Power walker and Guinness World Record holder, Yolanda uses her unique form of racing to highlight the benefits of exercise. In the beginning, Yolanda was a race walker. Unlike power walking, it is judged for technique and form. She combined the two types of walking to create her own style of power walking. When asked about her definition of power walking, Yolanda replied, “Basically, power walking is your own style of walking. Pumping your arms as you walk creates more speed and power. There is no right or wrong way to power walk. It is an individual process.”

Yolanda’s first full marathon was the Portland Marathon in 1998. She chose the race because it was walker-friendly. In 1999, she completed several additional marathons and numerous 5k, 10k and half-marathons. To commemorate her 50th birthday, Yolanda wanted to complete 50 marathons. That year she not only reached her goal, but surpassed it. She finished 65 marathons in 52 weeks.

In 2009, Yolanda finished 77 marathons. At the end of that year, she researched Guinness Book of World Records to see what the record was for “Most Mileage Daily for 365 Days.” She learned the record was 100 marathons set in 2002 by an Italian. Yolanda decided to set out to break that record.

In 2010, she power walked 93 consecutive marathons on her quest and topped the Italian record with 106 marathons. By 2012, she beat her own record by competing in 120 marathons. Yolanda reached this milestone at the 26.2-mile Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in Las Vegas. When talking about participating in marathons and ultra marathons, Yolanda says, “I do it for the bling, my health is an added benefit.”

On September 2, 2013, Yolanda’s mother passed away of complications related to diabetes. She had already lost her father from the same disease. In honor of her mom, Yolanda was inspired to create an Extreme Walk 4 Diabetes. During that year, she walked 521 Miles in 15 days from Corona to Oakland and raised funds for American Diabetes Association.

Promoting the benefits of walking 30 minutes a day is very important to Yolanda. “I’m passionate about walking for health and hope to continue to inspire and motivate people of all ages to get out and get fit by doing whatever physical activity they chose,” she says. Yolanda states the benefits of those 30 minutes of physical activity includes lowering cholesterol, decreasing the chances of heart disease, and fighting obesity.

She says, “The hardest part of exercising is getting up to do it.”

Yolanda has a distinctive competitive style. She does not wear “walking” shoes. Her favorite brand of shoes is Skechers. She always wears skirts. She was racing in tennis skirts before running skirts became popular. Running skirts have many features, including pockets for gel packs and a music player, as well as compression shorts underneath. She always wears a hat. Different styles are worn by this diva, including caps and fedoras. In addition, she always sports hoop earrings and designer sunglasses.”I wear shades because I am cool like that! Who says you can’t look good while you exercise?” she asks.

Yolanda uses several techniques for mentally preparing for marathons and ultra marathons. She meditates about reaching the finish line and encourages herself by saying positive statements like, “I will do my best and I will have conquered all those miles when I am done.” At mile 23, when she is tired and enduring the pain of blisters, she convinces herself that she is having fun and she smiles. Visualizing the finish line and the medal around her neck also provides a great deal of encouragement.

Yolanda laughs as she tells of one of the pep songs she sometimes sings in her head during a race. “Don’t you wish your girlfriend was hot like me? Don’t you wish your girlfriend was a marathoner like me?” She states that participating in long races are very spiritual experiences. “Talking to God for six hours gives you a lot of time to come up with multiple solutions to your problems” she shares. By the time Yolanda reaches the finish line, most of the other runners have already finished and there are only a few watchers left. When she hears those people cheering, she knows it’s for her.

She has been married to her husband for 31 years and is mother of two grown children. Her children share her drive to succeed. Son R.J. is a double major college graduate and daughter Tiffany is a missionary She has traveled all over the US to compete. As a member of Marathon Maniacs and the Legends of 100, Yolanda has competed at various races, including the New York and Boston Marathons.

Some of her latest accomplishments include competing in Anchorage, Alaska at the Six Days at the Dome, where she placed in the top three women and eleventh overall by power walking 400 miles. Yolanda also completed 311 miles in 10 days in the Extreme Walk 4 Diabetes Death Challenge from Corona to Las Vegas to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. Yolanda has completed 485 marathons in the last six years. By the end of this year, she wants to pass another milestone: finish 500 lifetime marathons.

Yolanda was honored to be chosen as one of the core team runners for the Race Across the USA event. She shares the race’s goals of raising awareness about childhood fitness as the run from coast-to-coast, beginning in January 2015. Even though she has been previously traveled to all 12 states that the race is passing through, she is looking forward to the whole journey which includes camping. She anticipates the opportunity to show how walking can improve overall health. Showing others how fitness can be fun is definitely one of her top priorities.

“You never know where walking will lead you, said Yolanda” There is a lot of truth in that statement. Just look at the Walking Diva. You can learn more about the Race Across the USA at http://raceacrossusa.org.

By ELISIA OWENS MUMFORD

Finally, the last summer month has passed, and we can begin to look forward to cooler temperatures. It has been an awesome summer of racing and I’m proud to see that Run It Fast members haven’t let the heat get in the way of their racing and training. But there are still a few months left in the year, and still a lot of really good races to participate in, like the Tunnel Hill 100 miler and 50 miler, the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon and RIF’s own Black Diamond and Double Black Diamond 40 milers.

It has been such an enjoyment to see the miles entered for the Extreme Racer competition, and be able to cheer everyone on from a distance. Not much has changed for the male leaders. RIF #121 Ed Ettinghausen is in the lead with 2584.8 points. RIF #1 Joshua Holmes is in second with 1205.3 points. RIF #279 George Southgate is in third place with 948.67 points.

For the females, there has been a bit of a shake-up. RIF #159 Diane Bolton has snatched the lead with 930.87 points. RIF #323 Jennifer Hatcher is not far behind with 804.2 points. RIF #287 Carol Earles has entered the top 3 at third place with 685.4 points.

The Extreme Racer standings through August are posted below.

Extreme Racer Top 10 Leaderboard:

1. Ed Ettinghausen – 2584.8 (RIF#121)
2. Joshua Holmes – 1205.3 (RIF #1)
3. George Southgate – 948.67 (RIF #279)
4. Diane Bolton – 930.87 (RIF #159)
5. John Kent Leighton – 861.1 (RIF #190)
6. Jennifer Hatcher – 804.2 (RIF #323)
7. Carol Earles – 685.4 (RIF #287)
8. Hideki Kinoshita – 647 (RIF #88)
9. Shane Tucker – 637.16 (RIF #337)
10. Heather Zeigler – 574.9 (RIF #246)

Extreme Racer Male Leaderboard

1. Ed Ettinghausen – 2584.8 (RIF #121)
2. Joshua Holmes – 1205.3 (RIF #1)
3. George Southgate – 948.67 (RIF #279)
4. John Kent Leighton – 861.1 (RIF #190)
5. Hideki Kinoshita – 647 (RIF #88)
6. Shane Tucker – 637.16 (RIF #337)
7. Bill Wells – 541.9 (RIF #327)
8. Denis McCarthy – 533.32 (RIF #263)
9. Jeff Le – 516.6 (RIF #248)
10. Jeff Liu – 545.4 (RIF #275)
11. Danny Staggs – 391.5 (RIF #186)
12. Rob Distante – 255.8 (RIF #259)
13. Ben Pennington – 207.6 (RIF #315)
14. Bill Baker – 160.6 (RIF #196)
15. Arland Blanton – 134.1 (RIF #290)
16. Eric Waterman – 133.33 (RIF #219)
17. Eric Spencer – 121.23 (RIF #320)
18. Nathan Bass – 106.8 (RIF #174)
19. Stephen Griffin – 88.9 (RIF #48)
20. Jeff Van Demark – 82.2 (RIF #322)
21. Robin Robbins – 59.8 (RIF #33)
22. Alex Barrientos – 41.7 (RIF #258)
23. Dennis Arriaga – 39.3 (RIF #140)
24. Brennan Thompson – 27.4 (RIF #274)
25. Jason Scott – 26.2 (RIF #265)
26. Steven Reagan – 16.2 (RIF #157)

Extreme Racer Female Leaderboard

1. Diane Bolton – 930.87 (RIF #159)
2. Jennifer Hatcher – 804.2 (RIF #323)
3. Carol Earles – 685.4 (RIF #287)
4. Heather Zeigler – 574.9 (RIF #246)
5. Robin Mancinelli –  555.6 (RIF #134)
6. Suzanne Michelson – 496.2 (RIF #280)
7. Belinda Young – 403.3 (RIF #358)
8. Christy Scott – 326.2 (RIF #231)
9. Donna England – 287.5 (RIF #277)
10. Alicia Eno – 263.9 (RIF #126)
11. Kim Crowe – 255.8 (RIF #245)
12. Julia Beavers – 213.8 (RIF #339)
13. Christy Bowers – 210.57 (RIF #60)
14. Marj Mitchell – 203.2 (RIF #4)
15. Amanda Staggs – 191.3 (RIF #210)
16. Amber Goetz-Bouchard – 172.8 (RIF #15)
17. Tiffani Glass – 139.4 (RIF #328)
18. Sue Stephens-Wright – 133.99 (RIF #321)
19. Michelle Lenahan – 114.8 (RIF #283
20. Shannon Miller – 111.6 (RIF #338)
21. Kristen Love – 26.2 (RIF #238)
22. Lisa Gonzales – 22.5 (RIF #5)
23. Natalie Torres – 13.1 (RIF #72)

Our leaders are neck-and-neck and knowing this bunch of people, anything can happen.

The winner of the drawing this month is RIF #4 Marj Mitchell.

[Extreme Racer points are rewarded per each racing mile completed. Example: marathon = 26.2 points, half marathon 13.1 points, etc.]

Learn more about RIF’s Extreme Racer!

I have run 126 marathons and ultramarathons so far in my running career. I would estimate that I’ve grazed or passed by close to 1,000 aid station tables during those races. I’ve tried many foods that have worked and others that didn’t and made the race even more difficult.

Race directors can make or break a runner’s chances of reaching their full potential based on the time, money, and quality of food they put at their aid stations.

Here is a quick look at my all-time favorite aid station foods!

Top 15 Ultramarathon Aid Station Foods

1. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Tomato Soup – For me it doesn’t get any better than this combo. This is like the surf ‘n turf of ultra food for me. So yummy and so many calories quickly. A good grilled cheese can soak up so much tomato soup, and they both go down so easily. A big calorie recharge that warms the soul during colder races at night.

2. Fruit – It’s something that is better the hotter and longer the race. Watermelon or oranges are usually the most available fruits at aid stations. My favorite is chilled watermelon during a hot race. It’s extremely refreshing and tasty. Pineapple, cantaloupe, and oranges are a great, naturally sweet snack as well. Frozen oranges on a hot day can taste like sherbet.

3. Boiled Salted Potatoes – Quick bite sized hit of sodium/salt and some carbs. Most ultras have these in bite sized chunks. Boiled potatoes are a solid and easy go-to that is easy on the stomach.

4. Bean Burritos – This is my go-to food 50% of the time as it is. Tasty with lots of good calories and protein that can easily be eaten with one hand without getting too messy.

5. Cheese Quesadillas – Pretty common at most aid stations, especially in the southwest and west coast. These are easy to make, handle and consume. Some are way better than others. The mexican grilled cheese (but not as golden)!

6. Chicken Broth – Ton of sodium and salt. It’s extremely useful at night during a cold ultra to warm the soul and lift spirits. Without noodles it’s easy to drink. Cheap Ramen noodles can be nasty, especially when partially cooked. Good RD’s go for the real chicken noodle soup, not that college Ramen ish.

7. Potato Chips – Salt, salt, salt! Grab a handful and take off! Dr. Karl Studtmann introduced me to the Lay’s Stax potato chips. The beauty of these is that you can grab 15-20 at once stacked together and eat them rather easily with minor damage to the roof of your mouth.

8. Rice Krispie Treats – Electric Youth! Sweet & tasty with a bit of nostalgia of getting off the bus in 5th grade for a snack upon returning home after a long day of trading baseball cards. RKT are sweet but on the bland side of most sweets. They are easy and quick to consume.

9. Gummy Bears/Worms – The Bernstein clan is great for a quick sugar kick. Throw several gummies in your mouth and suck on them for several miles for a sugar drain that is good for a super boost during a low spot.

10. Double Stuf Oreos – As far as a quick fix, Double Stufs might be at the top of the list. Lots of sugar, chemicals, and often a perfect elixir to get that pick me up from a low or dark spot. If you ever do a race that has regular Oreos instead of Double Stufs then you should write a bad review about the race and never return!!! If you do a race and they have reduced fat Oreos then you can be sure that the RD is Jobie Williams! 😉

11. Enchiladas – The Silverton 1000 Challenge (multi-day) had this mexican specialty last week. It was beyond good. I was instantly transported to Mexico City and had to stop long enough for another plate full before returning to el rastro. Kudos to RD Mark Hellenthal for this culinary treat.

12. Brownie Bites – Cheap Costco aid station food, but it’s small, tasty and a lot of calories in just a bite (or two). Beware of the Brownie Bites in Colorado and Washington.

13. Lasagna – Perhaps my favorite food of all-time when not racing, so when I see it during a race (usually a 100 miler or multi-day event) my eyes light up and stomach purrs. It’s very tasty, has a lot of calories, some protein, and a lot of carbohydrates.

14. Cheeseburgers – Burgers are good almost every day of the year as it is. During a race they taste even better. They are a natural handheld (unless someone is going Atkins on it), and they easy to walk/run with while eating it.

15. Chocolate – Chocolate is good for sugar boost, like most candy, and it’s good for a bit of caffeine jolt as well. My chocolate of choice is bite size Nestle Crunch bars.

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Monaghan 10 Miler that took place on August 17, 2014 in Monaghan, Ireland.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Mark Ramsey – follow him on Twitter @milkyboopourmarkyo]

The Grand Canyon has released new rules requiring groups of runners to apply for and pay for a permit to run there. Runners and adventure seekers had been awaiting for this news to fall from the National Park Service for several weeks.

From Runner’s World:

As a result, officials announced today that they will take measures to ensure that groups who dare to traverse that single crossing, double crossing or even running from the rim down to the Colorado River and back in one day are aware of the wilderness etiquette and safety precautions that are needed for a successful run or hike. Organized groups planning such endeavors will be required to apply for a $175 special use permit beginning on Sept. 15, 2014.

Runners and hikers alike have been taxing park rangers and resources by getting into serious health trouble while biting off more than they can chew with the canyon’s deceptive heat and stairway to heaven climbs.

“Park rangers are also seeing an increase in unprepared and injured rim-to-rim participants resulting in additional search-and-rescue responses, which then results in an overall delay of all search-and rescue operations,” according to the news release.

Experienced ultrarunner Ian Torrence, who has worked for the National Park Service, agrees with the NPS decision and thinks its been a long time in coming:

“There’s a price for fame and we’ve done that to the Grand Canyon through publicizing fastest-known-times, posting videos and having runs covered in the magazines,” he said. “Now it’s on the park to cover their bases. They’re not stopping us from running there, but they are controlling who is making money off of it and adding a safety component. I think it should have been done a long time ago.”

The permits can be applied for starting on September 15, 2014. Beyond the $175 price tag, there are requirements that come with the permit including:

Oltrogge added that a group of seven will need to have one member who is certified as a wilderness first responder or certified in emergency response, CPR and first aid. A group of more than seven will need two certified people.

It’s an affordable price tag when split amongst a group taking on Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim (R2R2R), single crossing, or going down to Phantom Ranch and back in one day. Some people are just abusers of nature and it’s beauty by littering it and not using common sense for themselves, others, and park rangers.

Read more about the NPS Decision at Runner’s World

Extreme Racer – (thru July 2014)

I would love to say that we finally have the hottest month of the year behind us. But it seems, at least in Tennessee, that August has been much hotter than July, and September isn’t looking too promising either. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am very much looking forward to some autumn running and racing.

Here are the Extreme Racer standings through July. On the men’s leaderboard, RIF #121 Ed Ettinghausen is still in the lead with 1,868.8 points. Our fearless leader, RIF #1 Joshua Holmes, has taken over the #2 spot with 960.8 points. RIF #279 George Southgate is in third place with 877.37 points. Both Ed “the Jester” and Joshua ran and completed Badwater 135 this month.

On our ladies’ leaderboard, RIF #323 Jennifer Hatcher is in the lead with 699.4 points. RIF #159 Diane Bolton is just a marathon behind Jennifer with 674.2 points. RIF #134 Robin Mancinelli takes third place with 555.6 points.

Throughout the year, 53 Run It Fast club members have competed in the Extreme Racer competition. Just among those 53 runners, RIF has completed 15,402.79 race miles. These miles include 117 5ks, 22 10ks, 57 half marathons, 229 marathons, 9 50-milers, 27 100-milers and a handful of other distances.

The Extreme Racer standings through July are as follows:

Extreme Racer Top 10 Leaderboard:

1. Ed Ettinghausen – 1868.8 (RIF #121)
2. Joshua Holmes – 960.8 (RIF #1)
3. George Southgate – 877.37 (RIF #279)
4. John Kent Leighton – 803.9 (RIF #190)
5. Jennifer Hatcher – 699.4 (RIF #323)
6. Diane Bolton – 674.2 (RIF #159)
7. Hideki Kinoshita – 640.8 (RIF #88)
8. Shane Tucker – 603.06 (RIF #337)
9. Robin Mancinelli – 555.6 (RIF #134)
10. Heather Zeigler – 548.7 (RIF #246) 

Extreme Racer Male Leaderboard:

1. Ed Ettinghausen – 1868.8 (RIF #121)
2. Joshua Holmes – 960.8 (RIF #1)
3. George Southgate – 877.37 (RIF #279)
4. John Kent Leighton – 803.9 (RIF #190)
5. Hideki Kinoshita – 640.8 (RIF #88)
6. Shane Tucker – 603.06 (RIF #337)
7. Bill Wells – 515.7 (RIF #327)
8. Denis McCarthy – 428.52 (RIF #263)
9. Jeff Le – 392.6 (RIF #248)
10. Danny Staggs – 361.3 (RIF #186)
11. Jeff Lui – 325.1 (RIF #275)
12. Rob Distante – 255.805 (RIF #259)
13. Ben Pennington – 207.6 (RIF #315)
14. Bill Baker – 160.6 (RIF #196)
15. Eric Waterman – 133.33 (RIF #289)
16. Eric Spencer – 121.23 (RIF #320)
17. Arland Blanton – 107.9 (RIF #290)
18. Nathan Bass – 106.8 (RIF #174)
19. Jeff Van Demark – 82.2 (RIF #322)
20. Roy Tamez – 74.8 (RIF #324)
21. Stephen Griffin – 68.6 (RIF #48)
22. Robin Robbins – 56.7 (RIF #33)
23. Alex Barrientos – 41.7 (RIF #258)
24. Dennis Arriaga – 39.3 (RIF #140)
25. Brendan Thompson – 37.4 (RIF #274)
26. Jason Scott – 26.2 (RIF #265)
27. Steven Reagan – 16.2 (RIF #157)

Extreme Racer Women’s Leaderboard:

1. Jennifer Hatcher – 699.4 (RIF#323)
2. Diane Bolton – 674.2 (RIF #159)
3. Robin Mancinelli – 555.6 (RIF #134)
4. Heather Zeigler – 548.7 (RIF #246)
5. Carol Earles – 541.8 (RIF #287)
6. Suzanne Michelson – 437.6 (RIF #280)
7. Belinda Young – 359.3 (RIF #358)
8. Christy Scott – 296.9 (RIF #231)
9. Kim Crowe – 255.8 (RIF #245)
10. Julia Beavers – 213.8 (RIF #339)
11. Christy Bowers – 207.47 (RIF #60)
12. Amanda Staggs – 191.3 (RIF #210)
13. Alicia Eno – 181.5 (RIF #126)
14. Marj Mitchell – 173.9 (RIF #4)
15. Amber Goetz-Bouchard – 172.8 (RIF #15)
16. Donna England – 168.9 (RIF #277)
17. Tiffani Glass – 125.1 (RIF #328)
18. Michelle Lenahan – 114.8 (RIF #283)
19. Shannon Miller – 85.4 (RIF #338)
20. Sue Stephens-Wright – 38.6 (RIF #321)
21. Kristen Love – 26.2 (RIF #238)
22. Natalie Torres – 13.1 (RIF #72)
23. Lisa Gonzales – 6.3 (RIF #5)

The first half of the year is already past, but every race mile counts! There are still a few cool months of the year left to get in those miles and really enjoy a fast race.

There is no drawing this month, but the random drawing will continue in the month of August.

Join Run It Fast – The Club

[Extreme Racer points are rewarded per each racing mile completed. Example: marathon = 26.2 points, half marathon 13.1 points, etc.

Note: I’m writing a series on my bout with ovarian cancer and how my running was affected by it and helped me deal with it. You can read Part 1 for a little history on my running and cancer here, Part 2  for a look at how I planned my running while going through chemotherapy here,  Part 3 for how I took things one day at a time here, and Part 4 how I returned to running here.

On Sunday, August 18, 2013, I took what would be the first of many tests in my cancer journey. I remember thinking “I have to pee” (I had to drink a boat load of water before hand) and wondering what they would find as I waited to take the ultrasound. I think at that time I still had some small hope that it was fibroids or something easy to fix. I got my first inkling that it was more than that when the technician (who didn’t have a very good poker face) made a comment something along the lines of “you didn’t feel uncomfortable or pain before this”? She wasn’t allowed to tell me what she saw but I knew then it wasn’t going to be the easy fix I’d hoped for.

The past year has flown by. It feels like yesterday that I was sitting in that waiting room with my mom, both of us scared but not admitting it to each other. So much has changed since then but so much is still the same. I am still the same woman who loves running and riding and reading but now I have fun stuff like hot flashes and a slower metabolism and doctor’s appointments to make life interesting. But really, the only thing that matters is that I am an Ovarian Cancer survivor and I am finally…thank goodness…finally getting back to some semblance of normal.

Fast forward one year from that ultrasound to August 17, 2014 and the Leading Ladies Half Marathon, my 27th half. That day had so much more hope and joy than the year before. It felt like my rebirth. I was a runner again.

Let me back up a little first. In my last post, I talked about finally getting back to running and racing again. Sadly, I didn’t make much progress after that post. My times were still slow and I still wasn’t losing any weight. I was still exhausted some days. I had to do something drastic! I had been thinking of joining 24 Hour Fitness and decided to make the leap. I not only joined 24 Hour Fitness, but I booked 12 weeks with a trainer! Yikes! I needed someone to push me and help me get my body back. My trainer asked me what my goals were and I told him they were to lose weight, and get total overall body strength so I could do anything I wanted to do – running, rock climbing, a pull up. I want to be ready for whatever adventure pops up.

The first sessions were hard and exhausting. I would get home at night after a training session and fall asleep before 8 pm. I had to do modified everythings because I had no core or upper body strength or balance. I just had some endurance. But I got stronger with each week that passed and I was losing weight! Woo!

2 weeks after I started with my trainer, who I affectionately call Phil The Masochist, I ran a 9 mile run to prep for the half and it took me 2 hours and 14 minutes. I was pretty embarrassed by that time. I’d had to do some walking and even sat down for a few minutes. 15ish minute miles? I was looking at a 3:15 half marathon time. That is not how I want to run a half marathon. And on top of that, I was exhausted the rest of the day. I must admit, I was a little depressed that day but also determined to not give up.

I kept working with Phil and asked him to keep pushing me. I was less exhausted as each week passed and could feel the changes in my body, including weight loss (13 pounds and counting!). And the next week, I ran a 10 miler in that same time as the 9. Then I felt like I was strong enough that I could add tempo miles and fartleks/surges into my runs and they were fun and really helped. And then the next weekend, I ran an 11 miler in 2:13. Things were definitely headed in the right direction! Woo!

So I ran 11 miles at 12:07 pace but I had stopped twice to eat some Clif Bloks and refill my water. And of course, I had little rests at the stoplights. 11 miles was also the longest I had run since 8/10/13 (my last half marathon). I figured I might need to do some walking during the half so I set a goal of 2:45. Just a few weeks ago, I had anticipated a 3 hour + finish time but was confident (mostly) I could make 2:45.

In my last training session before the race, Phil asked me if I was scared. I told him no and that was true. I knew I could and would finish the race. It might take me longer than I anticipated but the race had a generous time limit so I wasn’t worried about being swept from the course. I was more worried about oversleeping than I was about the race.

Race morning dawned cool and beautiful. We, the runners, boarded the bus that took us up Spearfish Canyon, SD at 4:15 am and headed to the start. It was dark and the bus ride was quiet. The race started a few minutes late and we passed the time talking races and states and running in general.

Once the race started, I took off like a bat out of hell. Well, not really. But the first mile was 10:36. Oops. I slowed myself down and ran 11ish +/- miles through mile 9. By then my stomach was feeling queasy and my legs were starting to tighten up. I let myself walk through 2 of the aid stations to grab/eat some pretzels but other than that, I ran the whole way. Slower than the first 8 miles but still moving forward. I really wanted to walk but talked myself out of it with distractions. Did I mention the course was beautiful?

Finally, it was the last mile and I picked it up a little. I caught another woman who was walking and said “Come on, just a little more. You can’t let me beat you at the end!”. And she took off running and I used trying to catch her again as incentive to keep up the pace. I crossed the line in 2:33:42 (official) and was pretty excited to have finished and beat my goal. I felt inklings of the old racing Lisa deep inside. I felt good. I felt proud. I felt happy. I felt like the Queen of the Road! 🙂 (by the way, that was the theme for the Leading Ladies Half this year, which I didn’t know when I signed up for it but is pretty appropriate because RIF #1 Josh (@bayou) used to call me the Half Queen!).

So…I am pretty happy with the progress I’ve made in the past 6 weeks. I am still way off my PR time of 1:57 but I feel like it’s not out of reach anymore. The weight loss has plateaued a little but I know it will continue to happen eventually. I graduated to knee pushups from wall pushups this week and am able to lift more. I feel good about things. I feel hope and I feel content.

I think probably the biggest thing that has made me less frustrated and a lot happier was coming to the decision to put marathons and ultras on hold for a while and to cut out some of the things that I no longer had fun doing. I feel less pressure and more relaxed and I am having a lot more fun now. I want to work on my speed and strength first before running longer again. If ever. I know it probably seems blasphemous saying that on this site but I am okay with it. I used to think I had to be the perfect cancer survivor, whatever that is. I felt like I was pressured to always be positive, always have a smile on my face, to be an ultrarunner…because that’s what heroic cancer survivors do. I don’t see myself as a hero. I am just a girl who survived one of the scariest things out there with the help of some great doctors and my family and friends.

I want to share 2 great quotes that I saw this past month that really hit home to me.

The first is by Gabriele Grunewald (@gg_runs), an awesome, inspiring runner and cancer survivor: “I don’t try to live harder, I just try to live more authentically. It’s not about just fitting more in, it’s about fitting in the things that are most meaningful to me.”

The other is from Kara Goucher (@karagoucher), another of my favorite runners: “I know that there are people that think I am done and that’s fine, they can think that. But I’m not running to prove anything to them; I’m running to prove everything to myself. I know what I am still capable of, and I know the last couple years haven’t shown it, but I know what I’m capable of and I know how my body is responding to the training. I guess, yeah, it is a comeback.”

The first one by Gabriele perfectly expressed the thing that surviving cancer taught me. Do what you love and what is meaningful to you and don’t let anyone tell how you should live or what you should do. It’s my life. I am not going to waste it on the things I don’t enjoy or don’t bring me peace. I’m not saying I’ll never run marathons or ultras again but right now, I don’t feel the need to prove my self in that way. More is not always better (unless it’s chocolate, pancakes, or burritos), at least not right now.

Kara’s quote feels like she is talking about me. For me, the past year was about surviving cancer and the year before that was dealing with the effects/symptoms of it. I haven’t been at my best running-wise for about 2 years too. I also feel like I’m making a comeback and I also know what I am capable of.

I’m going to prove it to myself.

Just watch!

***

Check back soon for the next chapter in my running from cancer journey! And don’t forget, if you missed earlier chapters, you can read them here:

Running With Cancer – Part 1
Running with Cancer – Part 2 The “Moderate” Runner?
Running With Cancer – Part 3 One Day At A Time
Running From Cancer – Part 4 Running Reboot…Again

If you’ve been through cancer and chemotherapy and are a runner, I would love to hear how it went for you. Please let me know in the comments or email me at the link below.