Gratitude……. VT100 recap

August 18, 2018August 18, 2018vtrunnermom 2 Comments

“May the gratitude in my heart kiss all the universe.”

~Hafiz

Gratitude…..this is my mantra of the year. I’m so grateful for my family and friends and all the amazing adventures we share together, so grateful to pursue my dreams, and so grateful to help others pursue theirs. July 21st was a day to remember.

The week of the race proved to be a little stressful for me. I’m a new member of the VT100 race committee (which I love volunteering for) and my duties for the VT100 included vendor coordination (ie, porta potties, food, tents, trash, sound equipment and organizing & marking the 5k & kids race) I had all my ducks in a row and felt confident that everything was coming together, except the porta pottie company had other plans. Wednesday, hubs and I drove to all the aid stations that needed the almighty, trusty toilets, to put out signs for placement of them, making sure it was nice and easy for the company to know where they should go…. man does this course cover some ground! Thursday late morning rolls around and no signs of the potties at base camp. I get on the phone ASAP (this was a recurring nightmare of mine over the past weeks that no toilets would be out on course or camp) trying to locate the branch manager who could help me find where our missing toilets were….I’ll be honest, there were tears of frustration because I had spent countless hours making google maps, leaving signs and then sheer panic set in, there are hundreds and hundreds of people about to descend on Silver Hill in less than a day. Shit!!! It took around six hours to finally get someone who would call me back. Back up to Silver Hill we went, the sight of the first truck was around 6pm (only 10 hours late :/) Hubs helped the guys unload them in flip-flops (please don’t crush your toes!!) and I quickly helped add TP to all of them and sent the drivers off, asking them over and over, do they know where they all go..aid stations are sprinkled out over 5 towns or so….fingers crossed!!! Thanks so much to my amazing hubby who kept me cool, calm, and collected…..I have so much gratitude for you …..thankfully everything turned out ok.

Friday morning we headed up to Silver Hill to drop the boys off for their volunteering duties. Hubs and I were one of the first ones to check in, it was quiet and peaceful walking though the vendors tents, sampling on caramel and catching up with friends. I was so grateful to have Emily, my good buddy doing my medical check.

Emily is the best!

Smile!

The Ultra Lite 5k race and Kids race went really well…it was so awesome seeing so many partake in our hilly, tough all-trail course. Hubs and I loved cheering them all on out there on course. After the 5k, I started to freak a little about how much we still had to get done. We hadn’t packed anything yet, animals needed to be fed and friends were arriving soon. We decided to skip out on dinner, I was sad not to see friends (some of who were Instagram friends I’d never met..boo), but it calmed my nerves to head back home and organize my stuff, take a breather, and to finally get out of the sun….

my boys helping mark the course on the Tuesday before

Saturday the alarm went off bright and early. Hubs enjoyed making his breakfast sandwiches for everyone, it soothes him. I quietly meditated, allowing my mind to calm before breakfast, this has been a wonderful morning ritual for me. Hugh, hubs and I chatted with Jules (my BFF and Hugh’s wifey) and gathered our belongings that would be with us for the day.

Hubs, me and Hugh…..almost time to head to the start! Let’s do this! It’s all about friends…

Walking to the start, we bumped into Nat, we had run some miles with him the year before, such a great guy. Quickly saw my parents for a hug (found them at the coffee spot..who knew..hehehehe) and then we walked to the start, we made sure we didn’t get there too early to keep the nerves at bay. 3, 2, 1……and we’re off! It was a totally different feeling this year, I wasn’t a knotted mess like last year. I thought of all the people who donated to our sponsor board for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports and looked at hubs, “we can do this…together this year, I know we can”. The first few miles were effortless, cruising in the twilight, the glow sticks lighting our way, the footfalls of runners next to us, the beauty all around. The excitement of runners all around me…..breathe in breathe out. We knew this course inside and out and simply wanted to enjoy the day (and then some) together. Date day and night as we liked to call it…….

The miles steadily ticked by, chatting with fellow runners as they passed…I knew the horses would be coming by around mile 10 or so. Last year, this brought on a lot of anxiety due to my accident….but this year, I was calmer and couldn’t wait to see my horse friends zoom by me…it was like a revolving cheering squad. The horses have such grace and power as they passed, brought back so many wonderful memories I had on the course with my horses….. I couldn’t wait to see my dear friend, Laura Farrell, aboard her Arabian, Sven….She passed us with the most beautiful smile, my heart was so happy! (she went on to complete the 100 and joined the ranks of women who have ridden and run this event..oh and she’s the amazing founder of both the VT100 run and Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sport…..such a humble, kind woman……couldn’t be more proud of her.) Also fellow horse girl, Michelle Rice went on to finish her first 100 in style and joined the few of us women who have run and ridden both.. pretty stellar weekend.

Laura on Sven (left) This made my morning!! Blurry as I was running trying to take a pic….hehehe

Our first Handler station would be Pretty House at 21.3 and the first time we’d see our incredible crew….our boys, Justin and Jase (I melted every time I saw them), Elaine (Guy’s sis and fabulous pacer) and Christine (Elaine’s partner and our sis in law…she is also our fearless leader and Badass Crew Chief). It was wonderful to see everyone, we did a quick shirt change as it was getting warmer and added our ice sleeves and ice bandanas just in case we needed them. We knew we’d be climbing up and over the Sound of Music (the most beautiful open meadow with the sweetest view for miles) nice cool gear might be helpful. We dumped our trash and grabbed more tailwind packets and spring energy and kissed everyone goodbye and off we went. We knew we’d see our crew again in about nine miles.

Pretty House Aid Station……our sponsor board joined us at every handler station…so grateful for all of you who donated to Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sport on our behalf…..

I was looking forward to experiencing the “Sound of Music” in a much better state of mind and body, last year I was very nauseous through most of the first 70 miles (mostly from my anxiety), are you sensing a theme from last year? I worked hard this year to focus on what I wanted…that being, I wanted less fear, no more boogie man lurking in my mind…less fear of my anxiety, let the worries pass. Breathe in..Breathe out.

Hubs powering up!

Yay!! For no nausea

Sound of Music…can you spot the horses coming down?

Onto Stage Road (mile 30.3) and another chance to see our trusty crew…this time adding two dear friends, Tanya (my sensational pacer) and Emily. Thanks ladies for all you did for us!!!

Hard at work….you want how many Spring Energy gels??

Chris and Elaine (crew masters)

My fam ❤

It was getting warmer, so we stayed only briefly to swap out our trash for more Tailwind Nutrition and Spring Energy gels. We were consuming 125 calories per hour of Tailwind and 100 calories from Spring every 45 minutes and food at aid stations where we could. I’m still not the best eater, so this combo was working really well for me. I still get a twinge of jealousy seeing someone wolf down a burger at aid stations, so wish I had that talent. Leaving Stage, you climb up and over Suicide Six (ski area) and cross the AT trail at the top…..we felt strong leaving here and continued pushing on…We had 3 aid stations between Stage and Camp Ten Bear (mile 47 and the next time we’d see our family) Crossing the Lincoln Covered Bridge we felt fantastic…..we ran into the aid station and got a yummy cold popsicle…..nothing ever tasted so good. We also met Danielle from FL who was back for her redemption run at VT. We chatted and passed the time on the relentless climb to Lillian’s…I kept promising her that the climb was almost over, but I don’t think she quite believed me 😉 We said goodbye and said “I’m sure we’ll see ya again” and kept power walking the hill. Down, down, down, we passed our friend, Tina’s (where we got our precious goats) house and almost to Lillian’s. Another popsicle and more ice to jam into the ice sleeves, and we marched on up Route 106 (one of the few paved sections of the 100 which is a hot section) towards Camp Ten Bear. We had yet to do a sock & shoe change, so our plan was to do that there.

So much Tailwind consumed!!

Camp Ten Bear……we’re nearly half way and we are both feeling great! Do we do a sock change?? Nah, no hot spots, so we collect more TW and Spring and decide to keep going, only spending a few minutes here…last year, I think I spent at least half an hour to eat soup and reset. A difference a year can make. Leaving this aid station is demoralizing, as you know you have about a 20 mile loop ahead of you before you come back and meet your pacers, a 20 mile HARD loop in Reading, VT, lots and lots of climbing. Agony, being one of the hills….self explanatory on that one.

The rock on Agony that I sat down and cried at last year…This year I said “not this time!”

selfie time!

Loved seeing this sign

This next section is rolling hills with your sights set on Margaritaville (mile 58.5) There is a 2 mile climb into this aid station that can take the wind out of your sails. Hubs and I power walked this feeling pretty damn good. We knew we wanted to take a bit more time at this aid station to get headlamps, etc and I wanted to SIT! Even if it were for only a few minutes, we hadn’t sat down yet and I was craving it. We walked past the aid station over to where our crew was and I sat right down on the grass with a shit eating grin on my face….pure Heaven. Our two close friends, Jim and Amanda came to this crew spot…and brought us Ben & Jerry’s….wow, that never tasted so good!!! So good to see them… We gobbled some broth down, yum and made our way back to the course. Only a few short miles (11ish) till we’d see our PACERS……..Yahoo!! We’d been counting down the miles all day, 40 miles till Elaine and Tanya, 25 miles, 15….you get the idea…..You are elated when you can finally have your pacer…

sitting never felt so good…..

The sun was going down, a relief, and we were on Browns School house trail (thankfully done with Brown School House Road..should be named “the never-ending road with slight elevation” My phone rings.. It’s Justin…”Mom, Jase wants to sleep and not come to Ten Bear” Me…”That’s fine bud, if he’s tired, he can stay home” Justin… “I think he should have to come” Me…”I don’t have energy to break up fights right now, I’m at mile 66.5, you guys handle this one peacefully please” I had to laugh, not at them, just for the fact that being a mom, you are always on the job…and I love it to pieces…

Puckerbush Aid Station…they even had the Porta Potty decorated….cowboy themed… (mile 61.6)

We popped out of the trail, a few miles from our second trip through Camp Ten Bear. We get to see our Crew and Pacers!!! Hallelujah!!! A little bit before the aid station, we heard two familiar voices, Chris and Jim walking towards us (one of our bestest friends, who has also finished this beast of a race twice!) We’re so close, they brought instant smiles to our faces, couldn’t wait to see the rest of the crew….We made it to Ten Bear….30 miles till home, with just a few big climbs sprinkled in. Can you believe we still didn’t change our socks/shoes….if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it mentality. I have to say, my ProCompression socks were kicking ass, no hot spots and my legs felt good for carrying my butt 70 miles.

Off we went, the four of us…..headlamps bobbing in the night. Nibbling on homemade Chocolate Chip cookies from Amanda…still wishing I could wolf it down, I think Guy gobbled down two… We tackled Heartbreak together, Loop trail, on our way to ’76. Our main crew would not be meeting us there, they were ready for some much-needed down time (they do it all, animal care, human care, well pretty much everything in those 30 hours..thank you!!)but, Amanda came with fresh Blueberry muffins…Guy wolfed down two…..I nibbled, but asked if we could have one for Sunday….dreaming of eating normal food. Who brings you fresh baked goodies at 1am….of course…Amanda, we love you!! We kept praying to the rain Gods, that it would hold off, the weather was calling for a dousing of rain overnight and we all were hoping the rain would not show up……

The glorious moon…..somewhere out there on course..

Tanya and Elaine kept the mood light and cheery…Guy and I would politely listen mostly, sometimes partaking in the conversation. Tanya would offer me hard candies, which were to die for. I was finally getting sick of Spring energy, to this point I consumed, no joke, 24 of them. I needed a change and the candy was that! Mile 87 was hard, really hard. It’s the mile we pass our house. Last year I cried, this year I was just pissed. The comforts of home are literally right there, I could feel it. I knew my boys were sound asleep in dreamland, my comfy bed beckoning me…..but we had to march on to Bill’s, we were getting this done, because we could.

one of my fav pics of the day….pure exhaustion meets adoration………..I love the way hubs is looking at me…love that boy…

Elaine and Hubs…she’s our fearless leader

Tanya and I….She’s such a positive light

We stayed at Bill’s WAY too long, but it was good to get more broth into us and rest our bodies for a bit. 12 miles, 12 freaking miles to go!! Leaving here, we got more determined. Our only time goal, was to be under 30 hours, our main objective…to finish. So, that’s what we set out to do those last 12 miles. This was our home turf now, a section we run almost weekly. We started to perk up as the sun was rising (I think it’s pretty special that we get to see two sun rises….) and the energy was building. We ran into Nat again and his awesome pacer, Chloe….it was great to see his smiling face again. Tanya and Elaine led this brigade forward with pep, happiness, and zest.

The sun is rising…

Next stop is Polly’s (mile 94.9) We quickly say hi to Emily and Chris and they hand us a refreshing Gingerale, nice and cold and push us on our way. It’s now getting so real. I kept telling myself how lucky we are to be here, in this moment, with friends and family. We get to do this. Even if each step is painful, even if at times you feel like stopping, we get to do this, so much gratitude filled my heart.

mista and sista…nothing like a sister helping you to the finish

thankful for this girl

We kept seeing more and more runners, each one of them with the same determination on their faces. Why did they run this race, what motivated them to push their bodies to do this, it’s on the trails we get to learn so much about ourselves. It’s the trails that speak to us. I’m forever grateful for my time spent in nature. As we approached the mile to go sign, we knew we’d finish, I wanted to take it in for the second time with a new set of eyes. It’s different the second time. I felt this go round, I enjoyed it so much more when I let go of the fear. Isn’t that something we can do in our normal lives too, I’m working on that.

YES!!!!! 1 to go!!!!

Snaking through the trail near the finish, we spot our dear friend Fred (another finisher of this crazy race…it’s amazing how many people from our small town have finished this race) sitting on a rock, cheering his heart out for us. Our friend Nat had passed us, when we let a pack of people by us, we wanted to have a nice moment across the finish line together….Nat then gently pulled over to the side and said “I’m not going ahead of you two, you helped me along these past few miles and I want you to go ahead” This. This is our sport. This is the friendships that form out on the trails. The comaraderie of fellow runners is astounding. You’ll see us high-fiving Nat in the beginning of the video below that Fred captured. Thanks Fred for cheering us on, can’t wait to share the trails with you next year! 2019 is it!!!

The Finish

Finishing the VT100 with my best friend and love of my life was pretty darn special….I’ll never forget my second VT100 on foot…Guy made it so magical for me. Sharing the day with him, chatting about life and our boys made the miles fly by. I literally had to pinch myself the first 70….we get to do this! The last 30 I was more tired, but my heart was still so full of gratitude………thanks to everyone who cheered for us, sent us messages, gave us hugs and took care of us during the day and night…..we will be forever thankful for you. You guys rock!! Congrats to everyone who toed the line and to all finishers…..you are all winners……….Thanks also to the amazing volunteers who make this race what it is today, Amy R, VT100’s fearless Race director, and to everyone who supported Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. The VT100 raised over $150,000.00!!!!!!!! Now that is something to be grateful for………

out on course….the things you see..

Thanks for following my VT100 journey. I hope you’ll want to run it next year, come see what VT has to offer. Whether you’re an elite, a first timer, or just wanting to get around the course feeling good, I think you’ll love what VT has to offer. Or maybe you want to pace or volunteer…..we’re always looking for awesome people to help out! This race is so special to me and my family and is the reason why we live where we do today.

Hubs and I sharing a special moment at the finish…this was finish #6 for him and finish #2 for me on foot. 10 total VT100 finishes, including my 8 finishes on horseback. Pretty dang proud.

See you on the trails….wishing you a happy rest of your summer….maybe I’ll see some of you at the Jay Peak Trail Festival and the VT50!!! Until then, keep inspiring each other and fill your heart with gratitude…..happy trails…

Krista 🙂 xoxoxoxoxo

Find your inner kid……

December 15, 2017vtrunnermom 2 Comments

“Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional.”

~Walt Disney

Fresh snow. How does it make you feel? Do you love or hate the white stuff that falls from the sky? I used to be a curmudgeon about winter, dreaded it actually…until I took up running. Running has brought out the inner kid in me, a sort of release of emotions. It’s amazing how the mind works and how your perspective changes as you grow older. I’ve learned a lot about myself through my running. Running has given me the freedom to feel good in my own skin, to be true to myself, and to never give up.

I love how a run can totally change how you feel in that moment. Maybe you’re having a bad day, feeling down or anxious, or things are piling up and you feel a bit lost. The moment you lace your shoes up, something happens to your mind and you let things go. You focus on your breath, your stride and rhythm, the sound of your cadence. I lOVE this feeling. It grounds me, keeps me focused on what I love to do, what I’m ABLE to do. I’m so happy to have found this release, to have found this sport that has changed my mind, body and soul for the good.

our first snow of the season……how lucky are we to see the different seasons….

Has running helped you cope? Do you feel a change in your soul after a run? I hope you get out there and enjoy any sport or hobby that brings you joy and gives you that “inner kid” happiness again. I’ve also learned a lot from my own two boys about living in the moment, being your true self and finding joy in the smallest things (Boys…I truly love our EPIC football games in the yard, the snow has added an extra element of surprise to field.. ..thanks for teaching me the game you both love so much!!!!!)

…. who doesn’t want to feel like a kid again?? I know I do!!!!!

Wishing you all a Happy Holiday season……….looking forward to the adventures that await us all in 2018!!!!!!! Find your inner kid……… 🙂 🙂

jump for joy………finding my inner kid 🙂

Happy Trails………keep inspiring and be kind to each other……… see ya on the trails…..

Krista xoxoxoxo

A spin around the Sonoran Desert……….Javelina style!

November 3, 2017November 3, 2017vtrunnermom 5 Comments

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.”

~John Muir

I think one of the best things about ultra running is reflecting back on the races. Granted, living in the moment is the ideal way to live your life, yet, there is such joy reminiscing about the journey of that one day you tackled.

My Javalina Jundred trek started in the wee hours of October 25, 2017, amid a torrential rain storm in VT. We dropped our boys off the night before our flight at my parents house (Thank you Mom and Dad, they had a total blast hanging with you guys!!!) knowing we’d be leaving super early to catch our six am flight out of Boston. Our flights were great, no problems with connections. We landed in Phoenix around 11am, AZ time (3 hour difference for this East Coast girl). Shuttling over to the rental car, I took in the different landscape, nothing like the green back home, but yet so intriguing. Giant Saguaro Cactus lined the roads and desert as we drove up 17 towards Flagstaff. Our friend CJ, who is also the Founder of Run Far told us you’ll see over six different eco systems on the way to Flag and he wasn’t kidding! He even told us that the Giant Saguaro can take 100 years to grow an arm…..Whoa! We’re not in Vermont anymore!

Immediately after checking in, I turned towards my hubs and said…. “We gotta go hiking!!” We were running on fumes, but the crisp sun shined air got us moving. We can’t sit still. Never have, never will.

I have to laugh at this photo, because we got out of the car and sprinted up the trail and BOOM…..seconds later we felt utterly and completely drunk, and we we don’t drink! Our heads were spinning and my hubby was especially feeling woozy. Then it hit us, this must be some sort of altitude dizziness. We drove up this crazy road to get to this trail and were now around 8-9k in elevation. In Vermont, our highest Mountain, Mt. Mansfield sits at 4,395 above sea level. Our bodies had never felt any kind of altitude. We slowed and took an easy stroll through what I liked to call, the “Candy Land” trail, and regained our bodies back.

candy land trail

had to carve our initials

The night finished off with meeting our friends at Run Far. We had a lovely dinner and chatted about life, races, Run Far, and the upcoming JJ100!! It was wonderful putting the voices to the faces I’ve been working with these past five months. So blessed to have these people in our lives.

With awesome hiking tips from CJ and Mallory, we opted not to visit the Grand Canyon (we’re saving that for a grand adventure with our boys) and decided to head for Sedona! Wow, Sedona blew us away! We celebrated our 26th year anniversary together (yup, high school sweethearts) hiking, eating, playing, laughing, shopping, and more eating. It was a phenomenal day. I felt like the luckiest girl alive. Give me some hiking shoes, a good trail, my man and some food, I’m set for life.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The beauty and quietness was quite amazing. We just sat and took it all in………I will never forget our time in Sedona.

Friday we were up early! We couldn’t wait to help man the Run Far booth at Javelina. I would be meeting more Run Far peeps, it was like Christmas in October! Let me tell you, it’s WAY hotter in McDowell Mtn Regional Park than Sedona or Flagstaff. When we stepped out of the car to get to the booth, I felt like I was walking on the sun’s surface. And we were told this is cooler than last year! Yikes!

Run Far gear

setting up

open for business, one of our fearless leaders Mallory and my hubs, Guy

The Run Far team

It was awesome meeting and chatting with fellow runners and telling them the Run Far message. At Run Far we raise awareness about veteran Suicide and PTSD, while raising money for the children of our fallen veterans who have lost their battle at home due to suicide. All proceeds from sales/donations goes 100% to the Sergeant Sean Northcutt Scholarship Fund. We are out running and going beyond our goals to let these children know there are so many people rooting for them and to always know, “Never Give Up”

We got a quick pre-race photo by the photo extraordinaire, Howie Stern and then headed back to our hotel for some rest and relaxation before the big day.

Our race day started at 7 am. Walking to the start I was very calm, which is funny, because I am typically an anxious person. I work on it daily, as it heightened after my horse accident. I however am not competitive when it comes to running. For me, it’s a chance to see the world around me at a slow pace. I consider myself a snail when it’s comes to running, much different than my equine endurance life, I LOVED the competitiveness in that sport, but with running I just love the pure joy it gives me.

We stared out winding through an alley of crew tents and cheering, slowly turning into a single track in the desert. I kept wanting to pinch myself, to enjoy everything my eyes and senses were experiencing. I was running along side my hubs and great friend, Missy. The terrain is totally different from VT. Way flatter, Way hotter, and no humidity. And oh yeah, Cacti. Some people at the start were wearing jackets as Guy and I were already hot, oh dear. First loop brings you to the first aid station, Coyote Camp (4.0 miles in) This came relatively fast as we were gently cruising down the trails. We got our ice bandanas out and filled up our arm sleeves with ice (This is a MUST DO…..it will save your race. Ice on you, not in YOU) filled up our bottles with tailwind and off we went. I was consuming about 17 oz of Tailwind every 45 minutes.

It would be 6.5 miles until our next stop, Jackass Junction. There is a rocky section, so you have to be careful of your footing, mindful not to twist an ankle. I was excited to see this aid station. I’ve heard so many stories about this one, it’s like legends passed down from one runner to another. The volunteers greeted us with cheer and were so helpful filling up ice bandanas and water bottles. I nibbled on a few potatoes before snapping a few pictures. Thanks John Christley for capturing some great shots of us. The sun was starting to get a little stronger in the sky, but we were locked and loaded with ICE. Thank you Aravaipa Running for having so much ICE. This northerner thanks you!

Jackass Junction…about 10 miles in

Our sights were now on Rattlesnake Ranch, 5.2 miles out. I felt really good leaving JA, I always feel on a high as I leave an aid station. So much adrenaline. On this section of the loop we were starting to see the front runners of the 100 coming at us. I have to say, this was such a high for me. Seeing some of the elite racers, so focused, yet so kind. We’d yell, “Great job” and in return they give the same. We were mindful to get to the side, as they were really RACING….it’s quite impressive to witness. The first loop is the longest, it adds about 2 miles or so before you get back to Javelina Jeadquarters. The sun was becoming relentless, but we marched on, we couldn’t wait to check off our first loop!

Map of the loops

Coming into Javelina Jedquarters was a hoot. You wind through camp and literally cross through the finish line and loop around and head back to your aid station tent. Our Run Far family was there helping out with whatever we needed. I actually changed out of my cute stars skirt and into my more comfy, fashionable Inknburn shorts before heading back out. I also grabbed a ginormous sandwich, I was eating!!!!!

Loop two would be reversed of what we just did, minus the 2 extra miles. So our first aid station would be Rattlesnake Ranch approximately 3.7 miles into loop 2. After filling up with yet more ice, you can only imagine how fast that stuff melts in a desert, we trudged on for 5.2 miles to Jackass again. This is where my wheels were starting to fall off. I felt like something was off. I had been drinking my tailwind and determined that I may have added a double dose to both bottles by accident. I knew I needed to drink, but the overly concentrated tailwind was messing with me and the unforgiving sun was really starting to make me feel junky. During races, I normally dry heave. It’s just what happens to me. So I felt the anxiousness creeping up. When this happens, I honestly don’t want to have anyone near me. I pulled back from Guy and Missy and stayed in my bubble. I worked on my breathing and mantras. I thought long and hard about what I overcame at the VT100 a few short months ago (I began dry heaving at mile 7 there, but ultimately finished). Guy could tell I was struggling a bit and chatted with Missy, telling her she should go on, that we were going to walk for a few miles into Jackass. I felt bad not saying goodbye, but I was so thankful for the miles I got in with her. I craved shade, a seat to sit down on, but I knew I had to keep trekking towards the aid station where there would be shade, ice, and a much needed bathroom. I have to thank my hubby again for his sweet friendship, he could easily lap me, but for some odd reason, he loves being out there with me. I truly love running with him. He gives me so much strength and support, he’s been my coach this whole year and I’m forever grateful for his love and guidance on and off the trails.

Coming into Jackass, I was feeling crummy, I had just come off a DNF at the VT50, so I really, really wanted this finish. It’s was humbling knowing that I was only 50k into my 100k, essentially half way, feeling like crap. I immediately went and grabbed ice and sponges to cool off. I longed for the chair, please let me sit in the shade. I sipped on gingerale and politely asked the nurse if she could check my pulse. My heart was racing a bit, but she said you’re fine, just sit and cool off. Had a nice chat with a gentleman who was doing pretty much the same thing as me. He told me broth would be served soon, which surprisingly sounded yummy given it was a cool 92 degrees out (I was told last year hit over 100….Holy Hell) Guy was looking for me, as last he knew I was in the bathroom. I forgot to tell him that I was going to sit and chat with the nice comforting nurse, so he began knocking on the porta-pottie “Krista?!?!?!??!” My bad.

Of course I spotted Jim Walmsley from my chair and so wanted to say hi and course take a selfie with him. I’ve love following his running career, he has so much guts to just go for i, I admire that. I whispered to Guy and said, wouldn’t it be awesome to get a pic of us with Walmsley? Guy said, “I already talked to him and asked him when is he coming to run VT????” He needs to come East. So he walked over and asked if we could snap a shot, that it would really cheer his wife up. I have to say, this kid is so nice, soft spoken and genuine. Thanks for cheering this old gal up!

This cheered me up! Selfie with hubs and Walmsley

About 45 minutes had past and we knew we should get out of dodge. The one sweet spot about this 100k is there is really no time pressure. You have 29 hours to complete. But we had a goal, that we wanted to be kinda close to. I can’t tell you how nice my body felt to cool down, fuel up and relax. It’s all I needed to get my temperature down. Leaving Jackass, we knew we’d hit the rocky section again, but it would be mostly downhill into Coyote. I could actually run again! The sun was starting to sink closer to the mountains in the distance. I finally knew we were down to a few hours left of that unwavering sun.

Coming off loop two was a relief! We ran fast through the timer’s mat, changed and refueled for the last and final loop. I have to say, it’s nice knowing where you’ve been. Up hill climb to Jackass and the rocky section, but then we could coast into the finish. Well, after 19 miles or so. The night was a welcome relief. I knew I had some pretty hefty blisters, but I chose to ignore them and my whiny feet. They could wait, especially since I wasn’t going the full 100.

beauty in the night

zombie?

The desert was amazing at night, you could hear the coyotes yipping in the distance, yet at times I felt like they were right behind me! We saw our first Tarantula……she was indeed docile like our friends told us she would be.

Crossing the finish line with your best friend is priceless……….. A little piece of my heart will forever be in the Sonoran Desert. Thanks to Aravaipa Running, the volunteers, and all the runners for making our first time to Arizona freaking amazing!!! Congrats to all who took on the challenge….if you are running Javelina next year, you won’t be disappointed!

meeting Mr. Ultra legend Gordy was incredible….sweet humble man

This girl…rocks!

Jackass party

buckle time

always time for kisses

Until next time Arizona………

Happy Trails and keep inspiring……..

See you on the trails…

Krista xoxoxoxoxo

A glimpse of the trail…sorry it’s so bumpy! Beware of motion sickness 😉

VT100……29 hours, 5 minutes, nine seconds….

July 26, 2017July 26, 2017vtrunnermom Leave a comment

“Keep your dream in front of you. Never let it go regardless of how farfetched it might seem.”

~Hal Higdon

The VT100 and what it means to me….

Family, friendship, heart, horses, team, Vermont Adaptive, never give up, hope, hills, running for those who can’t, willpower, strength, mental toughness, Song, beauty, selflessness, positivity, feet, RunFar, guts, blisters, nausea, tailwind, ginger, memories, happiness, suffering, highs, lows, mantras, finish, happiness

Reflection……. It’s been ten days since I crossed the finish line and I still get choked up about the day. When I reflect back on my VT100 journey……..I will sum it up in two words…..the first…..HARD. This was the most difficult thing (besides being severely kicked by a crazy horse and the three surgeries that followed that accident) I’ve done in my life. As I ran in, I remember yelling out “One and DONE!!!” As the days rolled by, the mind and body forget all that you endured to get to the finish line. I totally equate it to childbirth. The second word to describe my day was, JOY…..my heart was full sharing this experience with the people I love. Learning even more about myself with every mile, inspiring my kiddos to reach for their dreams. It wasn’t just about finishing a 100 miles, it was about feeling whole again after my accident………crazy how time can heal wounds…..

The day for me was made up of many struggles, gratitude, thrills, nausea, highs, lows, family, friends, hills with killer names, volunteers, horses, breathtaking scenery, hope, faith, resilience, owls hooting, darkness (which woke me up after 12am), meandering trails, digging deep, sunsets, sunrises x2, moving one foot in front of the other to finish something I started. I couldn’t have done this adventure without the help of my amazing friends and family (You know who you are…I love you and can’t thank you enough)….They pushed me forward when I thought all was lost, they clapped and gave high fives to raise my spirits, they sent messages with mantras and tidbits to motivate me, they lugged my stuff around from aid station to aid station. All with a huge smile on their faces………It still warms my heart today…

This hug from my son Justin will always have a special place in my heart and mind… It was taken by my pacer Jasmine at mile 99.75. To me, it embodies raw emotion, elation, gratitude, love between a mother and son, hope, determination, and the strength of the human spirit. Justin and his brother, Jase crewed their Dad and I all day and into the evening with their aunties, and they still couldn’t wait to run up the trail to meet me with a quarter of a mile left. The feelings when I saw them came gushing out. They’ve seen me through struggles after my accident two and half years ago. I’ve always been honest with them, and they know that if they set their mind to something, it’s achievable. Thank you Justin and Jase for making your mom so very happy…. i love you xoxoxoxo

Besides the crazy trash in my pack (so many broth cups)…..hehehe…this photo was captured by my best friend Julie at the finish. This is another hug I will cherish for eternity. Separating at mile 40 was extremely hard for us, but I was suffering from nausea for most of the race and was having anxiety about holding him back. He was going after his 500 mile buckle at VT this year, and there was no way I was going to hold him back. We separated with tears in our eyes, with the hope of reuniting at the finish. I am so Damn proud of you Guy for finishing this race 5 times!!!! Such an amazing feat! Guy….. you are my hero, my life, my everything…..I couldn’t ask for a better partner in life and a better dad to our incredible boys. Love you always and forever……xoxoxoxo

Even with nausea I mustered a smile…. because we are so lucky to be able to do something we love….I’m thankful for that…..

Sound of Music….Running with your best friend is the most amazing feeling in the world……….Gosh VT is so beautiful…

Guy and his fearless pacer and sister Elaine at mile 95!! WOW!! They look like they’ve gone a mile!

Hope you enjoy the memories of our 100……I’m blessed to have ridden it on my beloved horses and to have run it on my own two feet…two unbeliveable ways to experience the VT100!!!

All I can say is Dream Big, Dream often, and go find your adventure…….

Happy Trails……..

Krista xoxoxoxoxo

18 days till the big day………VT100 :)

June 27, 2017vtrunnermom 2 Comments

“If you set goals and go after them with all the determination you can muster, your gifts will take you places that will amaze you.”

~Les Brown

It’s hard to believe after 9 months of training for the VT100, the intensity is winding down. I think back to the sub-zero degree days, putting on my thick tights, yak trax and occasional snow goggles to battle old man winter. Now a days, it’s all about tackling the humidity and frequent rainstorms. Everyday I wake up, I drive my family crazy…..”This would be a horrible day for the 100, the air is so thick I can’t breathe, it’s like a thick soup!” OR “This would be the best day, sunshine with cool breeze.” Soon, I’ll be stalking Intellicast, looking to see what Vermont has in store for all of us on July 15th. Whatever Mother Nature is going to throw at us, I feel like I’ll be ready……… I’ve run in almost every condition.

Flashback to a beautiful January run…..

I’ve been reminiscing a bunch on my long runs…..remembering funny moments on certain sections of trail or roads that I’ve run with hubs and friends or solo. Memories that I will surely lean on as I’m running the 100. I have to chuckle at the time we found a cool looking green bench swing on a long run. It was 91 degrees and we were coming down a beautiful grass field and viola…. A swing!! I said to hubs, “Go sit and swing and I’ll snap a cool boomerang video of it” Well, he did and proceeded to fall completely over backwards..I missed pushing record because I was laughing so hard (especially after I knew he was OK)……we curse every time we run by that Damn swing……or the time when I saw the same lawn maintenance truck pass me over and over on my long solo run. Hours later the older gentleman stopped and rolled down his window and said “HOW FAR ARE YOU RUNNING, we’ve seen you all day??” I told him 25 miles with a smile and he joked “That’s pure craziness….” “YUP, pretty much!!” I responded.

There have been dog bites, crazy creepy drivers, downpours, intense heat, snow blizzards, glare ice, gorgeous views, scary partridges jumping out of nowhere, incredible single track trails, finding streams to splash and cool off in, tons of pictures and lots and lots of laughter. So. Many. Memories. Of. The. Journey. We’ve trained hard, but we’ve also had so much fun along the way. I never want running to be “work” for me. I want to play, have fun, work hard, give my all, but never lose the joy of running.

I think I can, I think I can

Going up!!? Intense hill we found running the other day

So this week, we’ve started decreasing the intensity of the workouts. We do have a hill climb tomorrow planned, but the long mileage days are coming to an end. I’ve had so much fun learning from others, following their journeys, and truly finding myself. I’m a changed person for it. It’s been an epic adventure and the best part is, it’s just getting started. Go after your dreams and don’t forget to DREAM BIG!!!

A gift

My friend Andrea @ Ultrasandcupcakes sent me this book. Such a sweet and thoughtful gift, especially because she knows I’m headed into taper time or as some call it “taper tantrum” time. The time when the mind can wander and freak out….Did I prepare enough? Am I capable of running 100 miles? I didn’t train as much as this or that person? The little doubt voice who taps you on the shoulder every now and again to throughly flip you out……..I’m super eager to delve into this book and calm my mind and keep myself in check these last two weeks…..So thank you Andrea!!!! You are the best!!!

I’m excited to see everybody soon at the check in!!!!! Silver hill awaits us all……….can’t wait!!!

Silver hill…… and the fabulous swimming pond at the VT100

See you on the trails 🙂

Thanks for following my running journey…….

Krista xoxoxoxoxo

Speed Bump……….with a side order of Redemption…& a lot of purpose!

June 4, 2017vtrunnermom Leave a comment

“If you fall short, you don’t cross that arbitrary line, it doesn’t mean you suck. It just means that you have ambition, that you try to do big heroic things. That’s what matters. A DNF should be a badge of honor. It means your dreams are boundless.

~Mishka Shubaly

Thank you to my friend Andrea for messaging me this above quote after my DNF at Pinelands……really meant a lot….

Memorial Day weekend is best spent with family, friends, and remembering the veterans who have given us the freedom we know today. Driving up to Maine, hubs, the boys and I were super pumped. We couldn’t wait to get there, the drive was smooth, except for the car in front of us on I93 hitting a deer….so sad. I couldn’t wait to see friends and hang out at our little pre race potluck BBQ together, before race day. I have to say, the running community is really special. So much camaraderie and encouragement between everyone. So happy to be part of such a great group of people.

The Grill Masters…Charcoal vs Gas

We went to L.L. Bean and picked up our bibs before heading over to the venue for dinner. Great to see Jen (who is an Inknburn addict, like me) for the first time. So proud of her for running her first 50k!! She smashed it, I think she’s hooked!!! Also got to hang out with my BFF, Julie and her family, and got to meet her lovely friends….So fun hanging with our four running buddies, Jim and Amanda and their adorable boys and Jon and Astrid..it was like VT moved to Maine…

We settled in for the night, and the boys had the movie “Vacation” playing on the boob tube…I heard giggling and reciting of the movie (mostly from the big kid….aka Hubs) as I packed my gear and got stuff ready for the morning. Amanda was sweet to offer to bring our boys to the start of their 25k around 9:30am, since hubs and I had to be there at 5:40am.

The VT crew..hubs, myself, Reeve (what a cutie grabbing my cheek), Amanda, Jim, Astrid, Jon, Hugh, Julie, and Naia before the 50 start. Love these people!!

It was super foggy at the start. We settled towards the back of the pack, got the chance to see Heather who was running her VT 100 qualifier!! (She by the way, rocked the friggin course!! Congrats Heather!!) The start was calm and relaxed….we settled into a nice pace around 10 minute miles and then we were doing about 5 miles an hour, for the first 15 miles. It’s nice to bank some time in the beginning when you’re fresh, yet still run smart, which we were. Then the wheels fell off…….. I dropped at mile 20, finishing just the first loop of the 50. I had to stop and use the “forest” bathroom at least seven times (TMI..I know) on the last five miles of that loop, thank you to my hubs for hanging in there with me…our time was really dogging by that point…..I knew at about mile 15 something wasn’t right. I was taking in my appropriate tailwind and bars, but couldn’t keep anything in. My stomach would gurgle, and sharp pains ensued. I tried Rolaids with no relief. My body wasn’t digesting correctly like it normally does. I’ve run lots of 20+ mile runs this year in training, nothing like this has ever happened. Hubs was really worried about me, I could see it in his face. We ran into the aid station where our team tent was. Hubs loaded up with more tailwind and headed out on his second loop, after making sure I was ok. I told him I would sit and rest and see if I could keep fluids/food in. If I could, I would get back out on the course. I had plenty of time. The weather was near perfect (it was the mud that everyone kept talking about, the fields were saturated by the immense rain we’d had). So I sat, ran to the bathroom, sat, ran to the bathroom. Ate and sipped…..I felt like I lived in the gross porta-potties all day…..ewwwwwww. I decided it would be a no go, and made my way to the timer to turn in my bib….wah, wah. I knew my boys were somewhere on the 25k course…..they were flying and it took hubs nearly ten miles to catch them. (The 25k loop is done twice by the 50k and three times by the 50)

my boys on their way to their 3rd 25k finish!!!Beasts!!!

It was nice having friends/family come off loops and see the determination and happiness on their faces. It was a nice distraction for me. One point in particular was when Julie and Naia came off their fist loop on their 50k..both looking to finish their first ultra!!!!!!! I helped Julie with her blisters…and tailwind refilling. I got the nicest message from her after I got back to my hotel room (I was feeling a wee bit sorry for myself….) She wrote…… “For what it’s worth, having you at the tent my first lap made my day and I am eternally grateful for your help and support at that point. Maybe you were meant to be there at that moment…I sure needed you.” This is why I run, this is what it’s all about. Connections, people, friends helping each other, encouraging one another. That really brightened my spirits, when I needed it the most. So Jules (and Naia) way to epically ROCK your first Ultra together, I can’t wait to see where the trails lead you…….love you to the moon and back girlies…..

So thank you to all my friends and family who reached out with encouraging words about VT100. Somedays, the fairytale in your head doesn’t play out. But, I live to run another day with these beautiful people in my life.. and I’m thankful for that!!!!

Hubs at the 50 finish!!! He’s an animal and my HERO!!! Pic by the famous Allyn Genest

Congrats to all who ran Pinelands, we will certainly be back next year, celebrating Memorial Day weekend in running fashion with friends and family…..

Follow Up Since the 50 debacle

After Pinelands, I went to see my Chiropractor, Dr. Beth (who is a complete Goddess and Savior to me and my family) She felt my stomach had not recovered fully from the stomach GI thing I had 5 days before Pinelands (the stomach I learned from her takes 10 days to regenerate…I’m learning so much about how the body works)and that she feels my bloating in my everyday life is from a lack of acid in my stomach…who knew!? The whole time, I’ve been feeding myself Tums, Rolaids, anything to help…which in turn was hurting me worse. I’ve been following her advice: take 1 tbsp of Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with a bit of water before each meal. I’ve felt wonderful this week…

I decided to map out 50 miles on my Strava map and run my own “Brownsville Redemption 50 miler” …as I affectionally named it. I awoke Friday morning a little nervous…I didn’t know how of would feel and I was still a bit worn out from the weekend. Thankfully hubs was going to crew for me out there, bringing me tailwind, extra food, grilled cheese and of course his smile and positive attitude……As I laced up my shoes and headed out the door, I was thinking of my Grandpa Blitt, who had passed away the morning before. He was 95 and lived such a full and exciting life. He fought in WWII, was an incredible artist, some of his paintings would blow your mind……His spirit was with me all day…….I’m forever grateful for that.

There was no fanfare, no accolades, no cowbells….just me, my breath, my every foot fall. The backroads of VT were so peaceful that day, I never saw a runner, biker or horseback rider. I felt as if I were all alone, yet had so much strength wrapped around me. Thank you Guy and Justin who helped and encouraged me throughout the miles…….I’m so grateful for my family always………

50 miles done!!!!!

*************************************************************************************

I’m also excited and humbled to be a RunFar Athlete

This is what they stand for and was taken from their website:

“We believe that the brave men and women who have protected our country respectfully deserve to have their families protected as well. Through the Sergeant Sean Northcutt Scholarship, we will provide educational benefits to the children of these fallen service members who have lost the battle at home. Founder of Run Far, CJ Schneider III, veteran of the United States Marine Corps, is an Ultra Marathon runner whose goal is to bring people together through fitness to raise awareness for Veteran suicide and PTSD”

“Run Far is all about inspiring runners to reach goals that before seemed nearly impossible. It’s for those with dreams of adventure & successes, and for those who want to put a little more good back into this world.”

Donate to RunFar

Sergeant Sean D. Northcutt Scholarship

Sergeant Sean Northcutt, Proud Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, served multiple deployments in both Iraq and Afghanistan. After honorably giving 8 years of his life to his country, Sergeant Northcutt was diagnosed with PTSD and depression prior to transitioning into civilian life. After a long fight with these horrible illnesses, Northcutt took his own life on July 20, 2015 at the age of 31, leaving behind a widowed wife and two children.

Sergeant Northcutt lived a life filled with immense pride and discipline in everything he did. He carried himself with the love of his family, country and fellow service members. Northcutt affected many lives in a positive way in his short time on earth. Ideally, those who benefit from this scholarship will emulate the principles by which Northcutt lived, thereby keeping alive the legacy of our fallen Hero, Brother, and Friend.

I’m so excited to be part of the #teamrunfar. Together we can help veterans and their families……every dollar counts….Thank you.

RunFar hats

100% of every purchase and donation goes towards the Sergeant Sean D. Northcutt Scholarship fund.

Run Far hats (they are pretty awesome!!!)…100% of every purchase and donation goes towards the Sergeant Sean D. Northcutt Scholarship fund.

The moral is…..do not give up, do not let thoughts/or failures tear you down. Get back up and fight another day…….

Happy Trails….and thanks for following my running journey….

Krista 🙂 xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Hills, hills and more hills……

May 7, 2017vtrunnermom 2 Comments

“If the hill has its own name, then it’s probably a pretty tough hill.”

~Marty Stern

Heartbreak & Agony are just a few of the tough hills I will be running (who am I kidding…..power walking, climbing, shuffling or crawling….) up soon at the VT100. If they have a name like Stern’s quote says, then they must be toughies, right?? Yup, they are.

It’s hard to believe that the VT100 is a mere sixty-nine days away. Holy Shit….. Training is really ramping up these past weeks. This week I put down 52.2 miles with an elevation change of 6,598ft in three runs. My highest weekly mileage to date. Ankle is holding up well, I’m being very adamant about rest days……. I know how important they are in this whole process. I’m being proactive with stretching and seeing my chiropractor on a regular basis. I already have an appointment lined up for the week before the 100.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. Probably because I haven’t run farther than fifty miles at a time….. I have days where I stop suddenly in my tracks and say “I’d still be running!” or before bed while brushing my teeth, “yup, still running” or in the morning the next day as I’m getting the kids off to school……”ahh, still running!!!!!!!!!!” Of course I HOPE I’m still running, because that’s the goal…to FINISH!…..I’m feeling like I will be using most of the 30 hours to get this done, so visualizing myself doing this and crossing the finish line is key. I’m still working on my stomach. I’m taking an acid reducer the night and morning before long runs, I’m honing in on eating during these longs runs, which is getting easier with the aid of Tailwind and the pure act of making myself EAT. Lulu and Joe also mentioned trying to eat a small bite of food every 20 minutes, rather than waiting until you feel hungry….gonna try this as well. I’ve noticed improvement, but if there is one concern for this race, it’s my stomach. I have a fear of throwing up, which is not the best one to have as an ultra runner. I despise, loathe, and hate vomiting. I cry like a baby, I pretty much am a baby when I’m or anyone around me is doing this God awful thing…….thank goodness I never had morning sickness, I would have been a complete mess. So I’m working hard on keeping my stomach in check. Do anyone of you out there suffer with stomach issues during your ultras? I would love to hear what helps you.

Pinelands 50 is fast approaching….3 weeks from today. I love having another race to use as practice for the big dance. I’m going to use it as a stepping stone race, no need for PR’s or pushing myself too much. Just nice and steady, using my time wisely at the aid stations and getting around the course feeling good. Soon I’ll be checking the weather to see what conditions will be. Except for my run with Raven in Miami, I’ve yet to train in any sorta of heat or humidity. I can’t wait for it to warm up in VT and run in some HOT and HUMID temps. I’m excited that so many friends are heading to Maine for this race, and my whole family is running it. Hubs is in the 50 miler and our two boys are doing the 25k, I think they are secretly going just for the Swedish Fish at the aid stations, ha-ha….. There are also a few new friends that I’d like to meet there as well. Should be a fun weekend for us all……

Yesterday I finished up my weekly training with a 21 miler with new friends and my lovely hubs. Lulu and Joe drove up from NYC in the pouring rain Friday and stayed the night with us. It was fun to finally meet her in person after corresponding on Instagram @ lulu.mnyc . She too will be running the VT100 , with Joe as her trusty crew and pacer. We enjoyed a great day on the trails with slight humidity, rain, sunshine, wind, muddiness, lots of chit-chat and of course taking fun pics. We loved having them, Alba did too!! Can’t wait to see you Lulu in less than 2 months!!! Keep up with your great training!!! We’re gonna Kill the hills girl!!!

Lulu and I jumping for joy on the trails….

I’m staying positive, motivated, grateful and happy about the upcoming 100. When I told my good friend, Laura Farrell (who is the founder of the VT100, thank you Laura for all you do) that I’m very NERVOUS and excited, she gave me this wisdom….. “Please remember that at the 100 mile, you get to spend a whole day doing something you love.” This has really stuck with me, I hear her words in my head while training and in life. I’m looking at this as an adventure…..one step at a time. I’m going into it with a BIG SMILE on my face. It won’t be easy, it won’t be all fun and games…..but running is something I love doing and I’m so thrilled that I get a chance to take a shot at one of my biggest goals……

Happy training and remember to always have fun!!!!!!

See you on the trails……thanks for following me…….

Krista 🙂 xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

I want you so very bad Mr. buckle…..I’ll take the small one 🙂

Running 8 miles with a legend…..

April 29, 2017May 1, 2017vtrunnermom Leave a comment

“Knowing I’m not alone, that there’s people here that want to be with me, that motivates me. If I had to come out and run by myself, I don’t know if I could.”

“I always felt like an outcast….now this run is like my family.”

~Raven

It’s funny how life works sometimes. I was promoting one of my Red Horse and Co. running bracelets on Instagram and doing a March giveaway. I entered the names of the people who liked and commented on the photo on an online random winner generator. Lulu.mnyc was picked. Hooray!! We’d been chatting prior to my giveaway, because we are both registered in the VT100 this coming July, and had become friends. I sent her the bracelet and received a nice message back saying “Thank you so much, I love it, it’s beautiful.” and the next message was “I work in publishing and the house I work for is publishing a book about a real life story of a man in Miami who has been running 8 miles every single day for 40+ years. Would you like an advanced copy, I’d love to send you one.” Um…..yes please!! was my response. I can’t get enough of memoirs, especially about running or horse related stories. I’ve loved the connections I’ve made through social media….so thank you Lulu……

“Running with Raven” by Laura Lee Huttenbach arrived a few days later, and I couldn’t put it down. It is such a wonderful read, that chronicles the life story of Robert “Raven” Kraft. An excerpt from the front cover follows….”In 1975 Robert “Raven” Kraft, a high school dropout and aspiring songwriter, made a New Year’s Resolution to run eight miles on Miami’s South Beach each evening. Over 125,000 miles later, he has not missed one sunset. Along the way, Raven has changed the lives of thousands who have run with him-many of them hundreds of times. From all fifty states and over 85 countries, across all ages groups and backgrounds, they come to run with Raven, and in the process find friendship, inspiration-and a nickname.” Be prepared to be inspired, enlightened, moved, and touched by this incredible story of Raven’s life and come to meet some of the various runners who have run along side of him. I felt I had to take my time, because I wanted to devour the book in one sitting, I needed to savior it. I give it 5 stars, one of my all time favorite books, you don’t need to be a runner to enjoy this one.

My husband had a work conference in Naples, FL….it had been planned since last summer. So our curiosity got the best of us on one long run in March after reading the book. “Hmmmmm, I wonder how far Naples is to Miami Beach???” We stopped and googled mid run and lo and behold, it was only a mere two hours away. How cool would it be to run with Raven, to run with a man with such determination and grit. Hubs and I were like two school kids the whole way home. We decided to run on April 26, the day after the book was to be released. It was to be a quiet evening at the conference and we could easily slip away. We told his co-workers what we were up to, and they were equally intrigued by our upcoming adventure. We don’t like to sit still, so this was right up our alley……We couldn’t wait to meet Raven, run with him, hear his stories and earn our nicknames..

We picked up our car rental and set out for Miami around 1 pm……We left early, allowing enough time in case of delays with traffic and such. Smooth sailings along I-75, sun was shining as we munched on lunch and chatted about what it will be like to meet Raven. Driving into the city was a breeze, phew! I’m not a fan of city driving, thankfully Hubs doesn’t mind it. I pointed out a Parking garage sign near 5th street above Publix, leaving only a 5 minute walk to the beach. It was hot for us Vermonters. 85 and sunny, with relatively low humidity. We arrived at the 5th Street Lifeguard stand around 3:45.

Arriving at Miami beach 5th street Lifeguard station

We love people watching, so we settled in for about an 1 1/2 (yes, we were really early!!) We saw all kinds of people…. families, pot heads, topless women, endless photo shoots by teens, kite fliers, you name it…it’s on South beach. The anticipation was killing me and I told hubs I’m gotta pee one more time….. as we were leaving the restrooms….we spotted Raven, heading up to the beach in his black jean jacket and jeans. I said “OMG, it’s Raven” to hubs and we quietly followed him up to the beach. I didn’t want to act like a stalker and ambush him right away. He put his stuff on the lifeguard stand and then we headed over. We said, “We’ve read your book and it’s incredible, loved it!” He said, “You must be fast readers!” I told him I had a friend who gave us an advanced copy….. Raven was so down to earth and was delighted that we’d be running too! As we were chatting, “Taxman”, Raven’s number one runner walked up next to us and gave us a fist bump (customary greeting with Raven Runners) Taxman is a 63-year-old accountant and has logged in the most runs (1,959 of them) with Raven. We also got to meet Close call and Lobotomy. It was truly like the book was coming alive. All these people whose stories I have read about, were standing in the flesh before me. It was surreal to say the least. We did the Back and Forth North Route. The miles flew by as Raven did Roll Call of the members (he has the most beautiful deep voice) and told us many stories about the characters he’s met and bits about Miami Beach and his life. He asks us which part of the book was our favorite and he told us we were the first runners to come after reading the book. I was in Heaven, I have to say I was a bit nervous at first, because it’s crazy meeting an idol. That quickly melted away, because with Raven, it’s natural and the conversation flowed like we were old friends. He does a bit of an interview to get to know you to come up with your nicknames. I told him my love of Arabian horses and endurance riding and about my accident with my elbow and how running has been my savior these past two years, and that horses run through my blood…he responded..”Desert Horse”, how does that sound?” I was floored!!!! It was perfect for me…..absolutely perfect!! Hubs chatted how about his love of basketball and coaching and his crazy running adventures…..hubs does this awesome “Crossover” move in basketball and viola, “Crossover” was his nickname to be….

As the three of us ended our run (the others peeled off along the way) I felt so blessed to have met this man, and to have made a connection. Because isn’t that what life is all about, connections? We all have so much in common in this world. Sometimes slowing down and enjoying a run on the beach with a friend, may be the best way to experience it. We ended the evening with a 1/3 mile swim in the Atlantic………can’t wait to bring our two boys to run with him…….

Raven is a wonderful, humble, funny, kind man. In a world with such uncertainty and volatility, one thing’s for certain, Raven will always be at the 5th lifeguard station on Miami Beach at 5:30pm. I hope if you are even in that area, you lace up your running shoes with this great man……….keep on inspiring Raven!!!!

pre run photo-op with Raven

sunset on our run

hubs and raven on pier

city in the background

jetty of south beach

Desert Horse, Raven, Taxman & Close Call

Hope to see you on the trails…………..

Krista 🙂

aka Desert Horse xoxoxoxo

Runamuck 50k Recap……..

April 13, 2017April 13, 2017vtrunnermom 4 Comments

“When you begin to believe, that is when you will be on the right track to try and accomplish whatever you have set out to do”

~Bob Hodge

I love Vermont and I love Vermont Ultra-running races. Again, I chuckle, because for me the word, RACE is comical. I’m what you call slow and steady….grind and pound out the miles. Guy, and our friend, Fred and I arrived at the Runamuck 50k around 7:30am. The race starts and ends at Suicide Six ski area, a lovely ski mountain in the beautiful hills of Pomfret, VT. This is the first year we’ve run it, which is funny, because the last few years the course ran right by our house. With surgeries the last two years on my elbow, the timing was never right…..so I was pumped to have finally made it here!! We saw our two great friends, Jon and Astrid right away…always so nice to catch up with these two…. I loved the feel of the race as soon as we arrived. We met race director Jonathon Vass, who was super welcoming, helpful and smiley ….. a great attribute for a RD. At the check in table, there were pads of paper, pens and bibs scattered…..”pick you number, write down your name on the paper”…..”now you’re good to go.” Love it! Simple, quick…smart! I picked out number 52 and headed back to the heated car….it was freezing!!! No sun, high winds at the foot of Suicide Six, and spitting snow. BRRRRR.

Waiting in line at the porta-potti I met a sweet runner named Jasmine….we talked about InkNburn, training, and running goals & aspirations….a long line…..I seem to meet the best women waiting in that line at races 😉 I also got to meet Kimberly for the first time, which is awesome to meet a fellow blogger and runner in the flesh! Jonathan gathered everyone for a quick pre chat, around 100 runners lined up and were off. It felt like a true grass root event, again VT rules! We headed about 3+ miles up Stage Rd, paved, slight incline….but the adrenaline was pumping and we were chatting it up with fellow runners. We were running along side a very accomplished VT 100 miler (he has run it since 1993…HOLY WOW), who was making it look incredibly easy, I slowly backed off……I knew it wasn’t a pace I could keep, it was fun while it lasted!!

After coming off the pavement, we hit a dirt road, Lime Pond Rd . The roads were icy in spots, so you had to watch your footing, and yet at times, they were squishy, which was nice on the legs. It felt like you were either climbing steep or descending steep, there was roughly 3400 ft of elevation gain. Not much in the way of flats….VT never is, you think I’d be used to it by now, born and raised here.

heart-shaped pond…always on the lookout for hearts along the way….<3

At mile 12, there was a lovely aid station with tons of goodies. We got to see Astrid ( vttrailgirl )and her pup, Aggie volunteering, it’s always a boost to see friends on the course. I gobbled down 3 squares of PB&J and loads of potato chips! I had already drank one and a half 17 ounce bottles of Tailwind and a Simple Square Coconut bar. First 12 miles flew by….there was a huge downhill into that aid station, so we were cranking off some 9+ minute miles, which is pretty fast for me.

A nicely stocked aid station….thanks Runamuck!!

There were open stretches of dirt roads where the wind would nearly take your breath away….I had to chuckle at our friend Fred….he started with no outer layer, hat or mittens…..Thankfully Astrid was at the aid station to lend her buff and a spare sweatshirt. The hard problem for me on this run, was where can I pee??? There are no leaves on the trees yet and it was hard to find spots to duck in….I had to pee so bad at one point that I had to scoot behind round bales that were lined up on the side of the road….It was hard to blend into nature with my colorful rose sweatshirt…..hehehe..women problems….

After the aid station there was another huge climb that seemed to go on forever…..when you come upon those you know you will be doing a lot of power walking. I feel this is an area where I have to get better with my training. Run the doable hills, yet adding power walking to my training will be key for the VT100. I know there will be stretches on the 100 that I will be walking for what seems like an eternity, so I have to build my muscles for that. I seem to get tight in my hips and my back with walking, so it’s a must that I train for that.

The boys…..love the signs…on ski poles….

With about 5 miles to go, I felt I could push little more. Originally I wanted to finish around 7 hours, but it was looking like 6:15 to 6:30 was going to be achievable. I really got a second wind as we passed markers headed down the hill (ones we had passed on our first loop coming up…I made a mental note on the first go round….I think my endurance riding has helped me with loops, because on horses rides, you are always doing loops it seems) so I knew we were getting closer to base camp. Hubs and I got into an amazing rhythm, letting the miles just melt away with each step.

Yup…show that hill who’s BOSS….love people who put signs out….TY!!

It was a nice descent back to the finish line via pavement. We kept moving forward, slowly gaining on a gal ahead of us. It was nice to have her in view, because it was so FLAT to the finish, I needed something to focus my mind on. For some reason, and I can’t figure out why……I get a little nauseous right before a finish line, it doesn’t matter the distance. I am a bit of an anxious person, but I can’t figure out why this happens to me. About 1/8 before the finish, I felt like I was gonna dry heave…..but I had my mantra in my head, as I always do and I kept saying, “This will pass” Sure enough, 20-30 seconds of stopping, I gathered myself and pushed to the finish line with a time of 6:16:25 a 50K PR for me!!! We were 82nd out of roughly 100 runners…..I’m still mind blown by the times, such amazing, talented, speedy runners out there, the winner finishing in 3:35, way to go Brian!! …..kudos to you all, no matter where you finished….31 miles is a long way on your feet!!!

Overall, a wonderful race in VT. Loved the local feel, actually loved everything about it. We got finisher prizes of Darn Tough Socks and a beautiful pin and stickers. Hubs and I even got a “Couple” award. Lunch for two at Harpoon, heck yes!! Thanks Jonathon, and all the volunteers and sponsors for putting on such a stellar race. We will defintely be back……

What worked

My InkNburn clothes were perfect. Capris, and my Rose sweatshirt kept me toasty all day with no rubbing or chaffing…my only running clothes I wear… Someday I will wear shorts again…..

Tailwind (Mandarin Orange) about five 17 ounce bottles for the duration, less than I thought, but it was so cold.

Simple Squares (3 of them for the race) These went down so well….organic, gluten, soy, dairy free…pure yum!! (if you wish to try them, use code vtrunnermom15 at Simple Square website for 15% off.

PB&J, Chips

Injinji toe socks, no blisters

Buff, gloves

Salomon pack

Strava GPS

Charity Miles

Redirecting my mind at times/Using my mantras

Asics GT 2000

What didn’t work this time

PB crackers (too dry at mile 26 for me) ugh…didn’t go down well at all..YUCK

If you are looking for a fun, fast, Spring race in New England, be sure to look this one up! We’ll be back for certain!

Finisher pin

Happy Running……..see you on the trails…..xoxoxox

Krista 🙂

The Finish! Jon, Me, Guy (Hubs) Fred and Aggie

Make the most of your dash……

April 6, 2017April 7, 2017vtrunnermom 8 Comments

“Life is made of two dates and a dash. Make the most of your dash.”

~Unknown

This quote certainly resonates with my family and I. Everyone’s life is made up of two dates and a dash…..it doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, old or young, or what your beliefs are, we all share this same common fate. What will you do with your dash???? Be darn sure to make the most of it………….I know I sure will!

Training for the VT 100 is on. Saturday I’ll be running the Runamuck 50k in Pomfret, VT, starting and ending at the base of Suicide Six Ski area. The elevation gain is 3,612 feet and the course meanders along the back roads of rural VT. This will be a stepping stone in my training for VT100. I’m going into it super excited and treating it as a killer training run, a chance to make sure things are working seamlessly….haha..nothing in ultra running is ever seamless! I must eat and eat and eat, to train my stomach. Tailwind will be a huge help of course, but I know I have to get my body eating regular foods, nausea from not eating is my nemesis. My fellow VT running friends (and New Englanders) and I are ready and deserving of some decent weather. The forecast is calling for 40’s and cloudy on race day….I’m still hoping to wear shorts!!! Looking forward to meeting new friends and hanging with my favorite buds. The last two mega snowstorms have made it harder to train…..we finally saw the sun on our training run this past Sunday, Hallelujah!! We Vermonters are stubborn, tough, and a tad rugged. We know that summer will be here soon…..75 and Sunny next week!!!!!!! And then perhaps Winter could return..you never know. So, I’ll follow up with what worked and didn’t for Runamuck….stay tuned!

Guy on lookout during a long run…..We wore shorts….FINALLY!!

What I’m reading…..

So, I have to tell you about a book I just finished reading, Running with Raven: The Amazing Story of One Man, His passion, and the Community He Inspired. By Laura Lee Huttenbach. I was given an advance copy of the book by my wonderful friend, Lulu. Lulu will be running her first 100 in VT too!! From the moment I read the first sentence, I was hooked. It follows the life of Robert “Raven “Kraft and how in 1975, he made a New Year’s Resolution to run 8 miles a day, everyday. He has done this for the past 40+ years on beautiful Miami Beach. Over 125,000 miles later, he’s yet to miss one sunset. He’s inspired thousands around the world and hasn’t run alone in the past decade. He gives everyone who runs with him a nickname (the Author is White Lightning) which is so friggin cool and keeps a meticulous log of his runs. You’ll hear many stories of people who have run with him, and learn about who “Raven” is and what makes him tick….I laughed, cried, well, I had pretty much every emotion reading this book. I don’t want to spoil it by telling you too much, so I will leave you with this…You need to buy this book!!! It hits bookstores April 25, 2017. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did….

Foodie Corner:

I decided to make homemade Granola bars for the upcoming race……here’s my recipe:

Maple Walnut Chocolate Chip No Bake Granola Bars

2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats

1 Cup Almond Butter

1/2 Cup Walnuts

1/2 Cup mini Chocolate Chips

1/4 of VT Maple Syrup

TBSP Chia & TBSP Flax seeds (optional)

pinch of Cinnamon

Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Mix all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Pour into prepare pan, press firmly. Freeze for 1 hour. Cut and wrapped Individual. These will be in our packs Saturday. Yum.

Enjoy!