The sun was beating down, and I dodged a spikey cholla cactus ball hiding in the rocks. I still had 70 miles to go and thought, what am I DOING out here?? I had nostalgically told the story of my first Javelina finish to anyone who would listen. The beauty and vibe of the race…
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Highland Fling Race Report 2019 (53 miles)
Read moreStanding at an aid station, completely drenched and cold, and with many miles still ahead of us on the trail, I apologized to Adam. “I’m really sorry. This… kinda sucks right now.” He laughed, “For what? The rain isn’t your fault.” Three years ago we ran the Highland Fling for the first time, and I…
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Badger Mountain Challenge 50K Race Report
Read moreThis was my first ultra in nearly a year following an injury. Ultras are about exploring the nooks and crannies of your physical and mental self, and I had seriously missed it. So one could say that I was excited to be back out there and decidedly nervous because finishing an ultramarathon is never a…
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Spring Eagle Trail Marathon Race Report
Read moreThis past month has been crazy busy at work and I was looking for a local event to keep my miles up. Northwest Trail Runs Spring Eagle Trail Marathon was an ideal solution. I was calling it a maintenance marathon, and getting weird looks from my coworkers. All of you ultrarunners know what I mean, right?…
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Chuckanut 50K Race Report – 2018
Read moreThis was my first race of the year, and wow, I couldn’t have hoped for a better day and race experience! It’s a classic race here in the Pacific Northwest, and takes place near Bellingham (about 1.5 hours north of Seattle), and mostly in Larrabee State Park. I’ve run the Chuckanut 50K twice before (2016…
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Javelina Jundred 100 Miler Race Report
Read moreI finished my first 100 miler!!! I can’t believe it. It feels incredibly surreal. After my disappointing DNF a month ago at Mountain Lakes 100, I decided to get right back on the horse and try again. My coach recommended the Javelina Jundred (not a snowflake in sight!), and it turned out to be the perfect…
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Mountain Lakes 100 – DNF
Read moreUltrarunning has a way of keeping me humble, and this weekend’s Mountain Lakes 100 was no exception. A course mostly on the PCT, with less than 11,000 feet of gain and full of autumn’s beauty – it sounded perfect for me. I had a great nine months of training and an amazing summer full of…
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Beat the Blerch Half Marathon 2017 Race Report
Read moreWhat would a September be without Beat the Blerch?? It was our fourth running of this really fun race, and it’s always a great way to cap off a racing season. Of course, my biggest race of the season is next week (exciting/terrifying), but nevermind that. If you’re already saying, “Lady, you’ve lost me. What…
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UltraPedestrian Wilderness Challenge Owyhigh Lakes Loop – 36 miles
Read moreTwo years ago I did my first UltraPedestrian Wilderness Challenge of 32 miles, and it was a very fun, challenging, and inspiring experience. I’ve been itching to go on another, and was so tempted by another loop near Mt. Rainier that I was able to work it into my training this year. My friend Ellen…
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Pacific Crest Trail 50K
Read moreThis past Saturday I ran a wonderfully casual Pacific Crest Trail 50K that’s part of a training weekend for Cascade Crest 100. However, many folks running it were doing it just for fun or general training (like myself), and not specifically in preparation for Cascade Crest. It’s a point to point, so we carpooled to…
