Grasshopper Peak Redwoods Run: 4th Edition

June was in a bit of a blur this year. I'm not sure where all the time went. Everything feels so recent, yet so distant at the same time.

The month started with preparations for Grasshopper Peak Redwoods Run, the trail race I founded and have directed the last four years. Every year presents me with new challenges.

The first major challenge was the course. Nobody told me that they'd be trimming the brush from the trail in the days leading up to my event. That meant any markers I had placed out there would be chopped up by an enormous industrial sized weed whacker. Grrrreat. I have to mark the whole course on foot, so I ended the week with 47 hilly trail miles and 10,190 ft. of climbing, about fifteen more than originally planned.

For the 10.5 mile course, I had a little help from my gal pal squad.

Then on race-eve, I arrived at the start/finish area to find no portable toilets. You know what the state park does to your event with no toilets? They shut you down. and don't let you come back. Yikes. Since my sad little Tracfone gets exactly zero bars of service in the park, I worked my charm on the campground host and he let me use his phone. The company was fantastic about getting me an entirely new set within a few hours. Apparently the toilet company had delivered the original set, but somehow they got past a locked gate and were SEVEN miles away from where they were supposed to be. My course sweep found them on the summit of the mountain, which by the way, is not at all on the course. Apparently, the delivery truck slid off the road twice and had to be pulled out. Oy.

Rachel C. photo.

Everybody had a great time. The weather was cooler and we had no medical issues other than the usual cuts, scrapes, and blisters. I even managed to stay caffeinated long enough to last the whole day.

Everything on race day was great.  Until my leg began to itch. Since I was wearing pants and camping the whole weekend, I didn't realize until I got home that I was spreading a raging case of poison oak up and down both legs. I'm so paranoid about getting poison oak (and know what it looks like!) , I can only guess that those chopped up bits of tree branch that I pinned my flags to included some a lot of that toxic oil. Yay.



(If you're squeamish, you should stop here.)

Day seven.

The next two weeks were miserable. I got practically nothing done. It took all my brain power to keep my hands off the rash and avoid scratching. I tried all the remedies and nothing really helped. When I finally went to the doctor for help, I was prescribed a steroid that only left me with insomnia and perpetual jitters. I was a mess.

Day 14 and about the worst track workout ever.

Then I got a fantastic rebound rash from quitting the prednisone early (don't worry, I asked my doctor before I stopped taking it). And paranoia that something at home was still contaminated and I'd be doomed to this torture forever.

Day 20 and the rebound rash. Tried baking soda to dry up the oozing. It worked, but it looked like I had some weird yeast infection on my leg.

Poison Oak is EVIL.

But at the end of the day, I'll still smile as I think of this year's race. Every year, I get a handful of runners who say that my race is their favorite each year. Poison oak or not, I wouldn't trade that for anything. :) 

Still the prettiest finish line around.

...........Next year, I'll be sure to bring my bottle of Tecnu to the park with me.

Summertime Training and Goals

In the past, the siren call of long days in the mountains has always decided my summer training plans for me. I cannot seem to resist the opportunity to train for and run a summer ultra. This year I decided to make a change and try something new. While my plans have changed from the goals I originally set in January, I'm holding firm on the decision to skip a 50K this year in favor of something else.

Meanwhile, my friends are adding me into their photos so I don't feel left out on long run day.

The first part of the year, I got on my bike more and hit the pool. At first it was exciting to try something new and aim for a triathlon. I told myself that more cross training would help my hip injury stay away. As my hip recovered and the PT exercises made me a stronger runner, cross training became less of a priority. Since life is too short to force myself into something I don't love, I dumped swimming and biking. Running will always be my true love and I'm not going to apologize for it. :)

That left me with no summertime plans. While all my friends are gearing up for the SOB 50K without me (I'll be at a wedding in the U.P. that day anyways), I had to find my own goal.

I'm still going on adventure runs with friends. This was last week's B double E double R U N that went through the forest to the brewery. So fun!

Earlier in the year, I mentioned that I resumed tempo runs. It was there that I finally realized the improvement they made and after some encouraging comments from friends, I've decided to work on shorter distances this summer. Never have I ever trained formally for anything shorter than a half marathon, a shift in training could only help to improve my running economy for when I return to the longer stuff.

That's how my dream of a fast summertime 5K was born.

Okay, cool. I've got a goal. So now what?  I did a lot of research. I asked my fast friends. Eventually I came up with a plan. Weekly tempo runs would be combined with some sort of interval training, whether formally on a track or in the form of a fartlek run. I'm keeping my mileage at a moderate level, shooting for around fifty miles a week. My tempo runs have been right around my goal 5K pace, so essentially I've been running a time trial every other week or so. Last week's was a 3.5 mile run at 6:50/mi., which is technically faster than my current 5K PR, so that's encouraging.

Since I've never trained for a 5K, I'm not quite sure what my goal should be. One friend thought I should try to break twenty minutes. If I'm being honest, this is where the whole idea began. Sub twenty would be awesome! Whether or not I make it to that goal, I'd love to bring my PR down just a little bit closer to that this season.

My racing plans are as follows:

June 17: Father's Day 5K. I've never run this one before. It's flat and paved and looks like it has enough of a field in the 20-21 minute range to provide some support. While some people like being a big fish in a little pond and win prizes with a slower time, I'd really like to be the little fish with a faster PR. :) Added bonus: I'm running this one with my sister, Mom, and sister's boyfriend too. The boyfriend runs about the same times I do, so I'd reallllly like to beat him, haha!

July 4th: Arcata Marsh 5K. This is our club's cross country 5K. I doubt I'll run a PR here, but I'd like to remove some time from my 22:38 course best instead.

July 16: Fortuna Rodeo 5K. If there's one race each year worthy of an all out effort, it would be this one. Perfectly straight, perfectly flat. This is the one race where I'm hoping to peak. I'm hoping that I can find someone in my pace range to really push me. The previous race director resigned, but Matt agreed to direct it this year so I can try and run fast. No pressure, right? ;)

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Have you ever trained for a 5K? Any advice on training or mental tricks to use while racing? Share your wisdom! This is uncharted territory for me.

Trinity Alps Weekend: Stuart Fork

Morning comes much later on Sunday. We enjoy our coffee lazily as we dine on muffins and hard boiled eggs. Unlike the previous day's run, this one begins right from our campsite. It's still cool at nine o'clock when we finally manage to hit the trail.

The Stuart Fork trail is one of the few in this wilderness that is currently passable. Both free of snow and downed trees (thank you trail crews!), it's a quick easy jaunt. Tall mountains shroud the trail and river in shadow and it stays relatively cool the whole way through.

I once backpacked this trail, noticing how gentle the climb is and how it remains singletrack for a good long time without any of the granite staircases that the Trinity Alps is known to have. It's a really great non-technical run that passes quickly. Most years.

Since this year marked not only the end to the drought but near record snowfall, the small meandering creeks have changed to rushing torrents. Things I remember rock hopping over in the past are now knee deep.

And I love it. I don't usually love running with wet feet, but the dry air of summertime creek crossings mean that my legs cool off a bit and my shoes eventually dry. Each crossing is refreshing.

Before we know it, we've reached our turn around spot. We have a small snack and a sip of water before turning around. On our return trip, we catch back up to the groups of backpackers we passed on the way out. Rachel and I try to talk Matt into making growling bear noises as he approaches, but he declines. Party pooper.

It's not until we're making our way back that I realize how steadily the climb has been. We move downhill swiftly, almost keeping pace with the river beside the trail. Arriving back at camp with a solid negative split and a new Strava segment CR, we make quick business of breaking camp and preparing lunch.

After gobbling down all of our leftover tacos and nut-seed burgers, we hit the road. We make one last coffee stop at Starbucks before leaving town. Given how many times we've visited in the last three days, we are surprised that the barista is still zero for three on spelling our names right. I think she did this to mess with us.

"Ratchel" is the best one!

Our gigantic coffee drinks are enough to sustain us the whole way home and the caffeine buzz helps us plan our next trail adventure together.

Weekend Totals:
Saturday, 14 miles, 3:07, 2047 ft gain.
Sunday, 12.5 miles, 2:54, 2053 ft gain. (run described above)

Trinity Alps Weekend: Weaver Basin

Craving a break from the stratus and leaky clouds, Matt and I began plotting our escape. While summertime on the coast is cloudy and cool, we often find ourselves craving the intense heat of summertime just a short drive inland. Just ten miles makes a difference. Fifty miles away is even better. The seasons appear to change as we make our way inland, climbing over the steep coastal mountains that separate these two distinct climate zones.

Home base.

I knew I'd find a use for the snow brush in California!

Since our weekend happens to fall on Saturday and Sunday, we invite our gaggle of trail friends. The school year is drawing to a close so most are too busy to join, but we find one person who can't seem to resist the allure of sunshine: Rachel.

Stuart Fork of Trinity Lake. The lake looks so full!

We awaken early to the buzz of Matt's alarm. For a moment, we're reluctant to move but we know that the day will heat up quickly. Either way, it will be rough: getting up before dawn or running in the midday heat. We choose the former and pile into the car after a quick breakfast.

Our first run is on the trails of Weaver Basin. This small mountain town boasts almost thirty miles of trails and is the perfect place to get a taste of the mountains without having to deal with the major snow pack that is reluctant to leave the high country. For now, moderate elevations are good enough.

In true Matt and Karen fashion, our run begins with nary a warmup before the climbing begins. Within two minutes, my heart rate maxes out and I'm covered in sweat. The route levels off and our first view of the snowy Trinity Alps appears in the distance. The trail rises and falls, in the sun and in the shade, for the next two hours. I quickly find my happy place.

Since I seem to be prone to getting lost on this particular trail system, we check our route at many of the intersections to be sure. So many of these trails look alike, it's easy to end up on the wrong one. An added element of challenge comes when we realize that our map isn't the most current version and several little intersections have been created since then.

Once we find our way climbing up a giant steep logging road, I know we're in the right place. I'm enjoying the challenge of the brisk hike. Matt and Rachel, not so much. Haha.  Really guys, it's not that steep!

While I do enjoy a good climb, it's unusual for me to choose a brutal route without some sort of payoff. Not only does this one include some spectacular views to the north (Mt. Shasta) and to the south (Weaverville), it has a beautiful ditch trail that is both flat and smooth. It's also man-made, a petrified relic of the gold rush era. I love stumbling upon a history lesson in unexpected places.

The second half of our looped route is mostly downhill as we make our way back to town. Just as I mention to Rachel that the trail crews on our current trail have trimmed trees down to small foot-grabbing stumps and staying upright is tricky, she goes down. Luckily her fall appears to be soft and she's got only a few rocks embedded into her leg. We slow to a walk to help her recover and then resume. It's not a proper trail weekend if someone doesn't deposit some skin on the trail. Speaking of which, Rachel tried to make an additional deposit by leaving her debit card out there somewhere. Whoops.

That Subaru life.

When we return to the car, it's mid morning. We waste no time changing outfits and cleaning up. This time of year, we're careful to check for ticks too. Once we're all cleaned up, a relative term while camping, we head for the store. The iced coffee has been calling our name. We also need a few provisions before we head back to camp.

Nut and seed burgers!

The afternoon is spent lounging near a swimming spot. Since snow is still melting into these creeks, the water is icy cold and nobody is brave enough to go all the way in.

After that, it's nap time. Matt is the first to doze off. A champion napper, he'll have half a dozen catnaps before the day is over. We relax reading and dozing for the remainder of the day, resting up so we can do it all over again on Sunday.

14 miles, 3:07, 2,047 ft. gain.