2021 Colorado Marathon Recap

Well I don't feel like I've done many racing recaps this year. My body has thrown a few curveballs at me recently-meaning structured races needed to be kept to a minimum for 2021. After tackling two 50 milers in June & July, my focus shifted towards finding some speed in hopes of a sub 3:00 at the Colorado marathon in October. Although I continued to battle a moody achilles throughout August and September I was able to string together a handful of solid workouts, long runs, and time trials...to a point I thought sub 3 may actually happen.

The fitness felt like it was there. I was able to run a 1:27 half which "should" equate to a sub 3:00 marathon. I was nervous but hopeful. I knew the one thing holding me back from that goal would be my achilles, if it chose to have an off day (and yes my heel apparently has mood swings). I did everything I could to keep it calm leading into the race, but it's always a gamble as to if it'll hold up. But hey, you gotta shoot your shot right?

The marathon & half marathon finishing together

The training was complete. Now all I needed to do was execute the goal. Run smart, conservative, and strong. I have a history of going out too fast so the goal was to stay calm and in control of my form and breathing. Could I do it?

My parents and Kal were so sweet to make the drive up with me the night before and we had a nice dinner in Ft. Collins for my mom's birthday. My Dad, a successful college athlete who still competes in golf tournaments to this day, provided some words of wisdom to carry into the morning. My Dad is a man of few words but always words worth listening to. I remember sitting at the dinner table as kids (a dinner table with 4 chatty girls), and my Dad would sit quietly but when he had something to say we all listened up.

Because the course is point to point, the race drives everyone up a canyon to the start line. The only downside is they have everyone at the start line 45 minutes early. It was windy and cold so I did my best to stay warm and not tense up before the start. About 10 minutes before the start I did a quick 5 minute warmup with strides to loosen up the achilles and shake off those nerves.

Before the start

5-4-3-2-1 and we were off! I quickly settled into my pace and assessed how things were feeling. Breathing-good. Legs-good. Nerves-good. Achilles-ok. My pace was a bit faster than the goal pace but it was coming easy and relaxed so I was okay with the decision to keep it there while reminding myself to pull it back to the goal pace if things got labored too early on. I found myself in first female position which I was actually not thrilled about. Sounds silly, but my goal really was to just focus on my own race and not get caught up in the nerves of keeping first which can be a slippery slope if you're leading out of the gate. There was a race volunteer riding by me for the first 7 or so miles who apparently was supposed to ride with the first female. I kept thinking who is this person and why won't she leave me alone! Clearly they don't have pacers like that in ultras lol. I felt pretty stupid once I figured it out.

That hip placement doesn't make me happy! lol

Around mile 8 or so a girl from the Air Force came by-tucked behind 4 or 5 other male Air Force runners. They were holding around 6:25-6:30 which was faster than I thought wise at that point so I kept my 6:40 pace hoping that maybe they'd come back to me as the race went on. I was actually happy she passed. I would rather do the chasing than be the one chased. I lost my biker friend though:)

Unfortunately I had to make a pit stop at mile 15 and that's when things started to go south. I was in and out within 20 seconds or so but once I picked the pace back up things just didn't feel right. I've noticed in training that once I stop, even for a short moment, my Achilles has a hard time starting again. Maybe it's mental, maybe it's physical, maybe it's a mix of both, but from mile 15 on I couldn't get my form right. When the achilles pain comes I'm not able to put my whole foot on the ground and have to avoid the heel having any sort of ground contact which makes it extremely difficult to keep up any pace at all. Even slow paces feel like I'm working hard as well as my opposite hip starts to overwork. I dropped my pace back about 10 seconds slower than goal for a mile or so then realized I just needed to run as hard as I could instead of focus on trying to hit the pace. In hindsight it's so easy to think why didn't you just push harder, but I have to be confident in knowing I gave everything I had in the moment. It's one thing to push through the increased fatigue at later stages of a race and another pushing through an injury pain.

I could see the goal quickly slipping and when I knew it was gone I felt an ache deep inside. I was so sure it was going to happen. Even at the beginning I was confident with how things felt. As I crossed the finish line I was greeted by my smiling parents and husband who always have a hug and encouraging word despite my finish time. I had given it all I could and at the end of the day that's all you can ask.

The race went by so fast! I utilized my 4 mile strategy at mile 22 and before I knew it the finish line was there. As soon as I crossed I thought, "I want to do it again". I was ready mentally and physically and on any other day perhaps my body would have been on board. I took the rest of the afternoon to be upset but decided to sit down that evening and write some thoughts about how I was feeling...

“What if I fall? But, oh my darling what if you fly!”- Erin Hanson

Well sometimes you don’t fly. Sometimes you fall. You fall short of your goals. You fall from what you know you can achieve.

And it hurts. It hurts your pride, (with long distance running it hurts your body), and at times it even takes a mental toll. Why do you keep trying? Why do you put in all these stupid miles? Get up early, cram in doubles, go to the track. When it’s dark, cold, (and if you live in Colorado, most likely windy). Why not just give up?

It’s simple. This is who you are. You set big goals. You run abnormal amounts. You train your legs, heart, and mind to their limit because at the end of the day it makes you happy. You put your dreams out there…and you wouldn’t have it any other way. This is who you are. It makes you feel alive. It gives you a smile. It gives you a purpose and a dream. It keeps you guessing. It gives you joy (other than the days like today where it makes you cry). It gives life to your lungs. It teaches you lessons. It builds you up. It tears you down. It’s made you into the person you are. A person you’re proud of…even on days when it’s oh so hard to be proud. It’s you. It’s running. It’s the marathon.

3:12. I’ll be back.

Less than 48 hours and I already have the desire and excitement to get back out there. After a bit of rest that I know my body needs that's exactly what I'll do. Thanks to my husband and family who have an endless amount of support and encouragement for my crazy dreams and my coach who pushes me to dream big:)

Matcha Two Ways

Matcha powder has become one of my go to’s lately! Not only for it’s unique green tea taste but also nutrient density.

Green tea and matcha powder come from the same Camellia Sinensis plant. The difference lies in the growth process as matcha is covered from direct sunlight for 20-30 days before harvest to increase its chlorophyll properties, boost amino acids, and generate a darker green hue. The stems and leaves are then removed and the matcha plant is ground into a fine powder. Because the entire leaf is used, matcha has a higher dose of caffeine and antioxidants than regular green tea.

The three different grades of matcha are ceremonial, premium, and culinary, and are intended for different uses.

Ceremonial grade comes from the first harvest of leaves and bodes a bright green hue. This grade is typically sweeter, more expensive, and is intended for drinking.

Premium grade comes from the second harvest of leaves and contains a more bitter taste so sweetener may be desired. Premium is generally more affordable as well.

Culinary grade comes from the 3rd harvest and is designed for baking and incorporating into cooked dishes. It has a much more bitter taste than ceremonial and is not designed to be enjoyed on its own, but rather incorporated into sweet or savory dishes.

Sometimes I’ll swap my coffee for a matcha-using either water or almond milk for the liquid. Other times I use the powder to make something tasty! Lately I’ve been experimenting with desserts! Here are a few of my favorites.

Iced Berry Matcha

This fun little take on a basic iced matcha includes a pop of color from the berry compote. You could use any berry, but I used mixed berries in this recipe.

2 Tsp Matcha Powder

1 Cup Almond, Coconut, or Regular Milk

1/2 Cup Hot Water

1 Tbsp Water

1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar

1 Cup Mixed Berries

Step 1: Make Compote. Mix 1 Tbsp water, sugar, and berries into a saucepan. Simmer until fruit is soft and you can smash. Set aside to cool.

Step 2: Mix matcha powder into 1/2 cup hot water. You can mix with a matcha whisk or regular whisk. Set Aside.

Step 3: Place crushed ice in bottom of glass. Top with 1/2 strawberry mixture. Pour milk over strawberries. Top with matcha blend. Stir until combined.

Matcha Apple Nice Cream

4 Frozen Bananas

1/4 Cup Matcha Powder

1 Cup Frozen Apple Chunks

1/4 Cup Dairy Free White Chocolate

Step 1: Blend all ingredients but chocolate in a food processor until smooth. Once blended stir in white chocolate chips.

Three Mindset Tips to Successfully Execute A Difficult Workout Or Race

I’m a few weeks out from running the Colorado marathon, and despite the shortened distance from my typical ultra races, I’m actually more nervous for this one. My goal is a sub 3 hour marathon, which would be a pretty significant PR. Ultra marathons are really just a long day of problem solving and working with the trail, which for most runners means a bit more wiggle room to hit their goals. With a marathon the room for error is so much smaller!

While my achilles is still not 100% a net downhill road marathon is actually the perfect atmosphere for minimal pain-so I’m hopeful things hold up through the race. I’ve been doing a lot of miles on a flat, spongy track to keep the leg speed up and impact for my heel low. I’ll typically do a handful of track workouts in an ultra marathon buildup-just to keep some turnover-but nowhere near what I’ve done in this buildup for the Colorado Marathon. My mind and legs have actually really enjoyed the different challenge of track workouts-but I will say, even though the running is flat (a shift from my typically hilly trail runs) the workouts are still incredibly challenging-just a different kind of challenging. I’ve had to tap into a different area of my mind and fitness to complete some of the workouts and I’m excited to see how the new perspectives will translate to ultra trail running. Here are a few strategies I’ve been using in this buildup and will definitely be tapping into during the marathon.

Focus on Pacing

Man, this is one that I constantly have to work on. The goal of my workouts/races is to negative split and run the last half faster, but wow is it hard to stay calm at the beginning and not go out too fast. It’s easy to assume banking time at the front half of the run will help your overall time, but that so rarely is the case (for me at least). If the goal is to run 6x1 Mile @ 6:30, running the first 2 miles at 6:15 may mean you can’t hold on for the last 4 @ 6:30. Instead focus on consistent pacing and not pushing beyond your ability at the beginning. Now, certainly there are some days/workouts/races where things are just clicking and you want to push and go with it, but in general, it’s best to stick with the plan and focus on staying relaxed, calm, in control, and committed to a pace.

Run the Mile You’re In

Whether it’s a workout or race, staying in tune to the present moment is vital to a successful effort. One way I do this is staying focused on flow-a state of mind in which one becomes completely immersed in an activity. I’ll tune into different parts of my body, check in with my breath, envision quick turnover, and focus on each step as they come. If my mind wanders or becomes anxious I will prompt a return to flow by preparing trigger phrases such as, “Stay in this mile, Light and fast, You are able”, to bring my mind back to the present. At times I will even envision my breath going to different parts of my body-actively sending energy to my legs, chest, arms. Whether it’s a placebo effect or actually a proven theory I’m not sure, but I do know our minds are pretty powerful so if something works run with it.

Four Mile Rule

This is a technique I use towards the end of a race, that stemmed from my 4x2x48 challenge in which I ran 4 miles every 2 hours for 48 hours. Four miles. That’s all. No matter how I feel I can run 4 miles, right? So in the example of my upcoming marathon when I hit mile 22 I will use my 4 mile strategy and tell myself I’m just starting the run and only have to go 4 miles. I’ll then repeat that pep talk at 3 miles, 2 miles, and 1 mile. Again, does this change the distance I’ve already run or have to go? Of course not! But it does help me mentally snap out of how poorly I may be feeling in the moment and know that I can 100% complete the effort because if I could run 4 miles for 48 hours I can run the last four miles of this race!

Our minds are so powerful, and often overlooked when training for a key race. Yes, do the physical training, but don’t forget to prepare your mind for race day. Just like you would practice your nutrition & pacing, you too should practice your mindset training. Long runs, hard workouts, or days you feel unmotivated are all excellent times to deploy your mental strategies. So at your next race, don’t forget to pack your fitness, your joy, and those fun mind games you’ve worked on:)