Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Western States Cancelled
...not much more to say. I feel so bad for all the runners, crew, family, volunteers, event coordinators! I can't believe it. Very sad. I know what level of commitment it takes to get ready for this race. The weekends, weeks and months of prep work-gone....sure they can run another race but it won't be THE race....
Monday, May 5, 2008
Miwok and Van Marathon-Team does great
Well, we had runners in tow races this weekend. Ellie Greenwood finishing her road series before getting back on the trail circuit and Gary Robbins, Ryne Melcher, Cheryl Beatty and myself heading down to my favorite race-Miwok 100km.
Miwok 100km is a beautiful course, super well organized and fast. The terrain varies from coastal, to inland heat,amazing views, fast rolling single track.
Gary Robbins had a goal of sub 9, the rest just to run well. I think about 250 started the race and it is always really competitive. When the gun went off, we settled in. I ran with Cheryl Beatty for about 30 km, while Gary and Ryne worked on up ahead. Not coming into this race super prepared for longer distance, I was not sure if I would run more than 50, but I knew the others would be fine.
I ran to 45 and decided that was it for me, I would now become a cheering squad for my friends. Gary Robbins rolled back through the 65 km check in 6th overall, and running very close to the sub 9 hour mark he set. Cheryl and Ryne cruised through. Cheryl was in 5 or 6th and Ryne was looking in rough shape. With encouragement, Ryne set out to finish this bastard.
Off the the finish line I went with Danielle and we waited. Click, there goes the 9 hour mark. Click, Click, Click, runners coming in and no Gary. 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th...Well, Gary had put in a lot of time on some of these folks...I knew something happened. Yes-he missed a turn (people miss it every year) and ran about 11 minutes the wrong way-22 total. Well, it would have been close. At 9:22 he crossed the line in 12th. An excellent race!
Cheryl crossed the line of her first 100 km run in about 10:30. Feeling great. Cheryl has a long adventure racing history and I wil admit I was happy when she told me that was the most suffering she has ever done!! She rocked.
Melcher suffered-a lot. but this was a better victory than many the others. With 50 km and 50 mile times like 3:10 and low 6's 50 milers, ego can often get in the way of finishing. He put it aside, suffered, and finished Miwok '08!
Congrats to the team-next up is the 1/2 Knacker!
Ellie Greenwood decided to lace up for the Vancouver Marathon. I don't have a race report yet but I know she was 3rd woman and ran a 2:55!!
Miwok 100km is a beautiful course, super well organized and fast. The terrain varies from coastal, to inland heat,amazing views, fast rolling single track.
Gary Robbins had a goal of sub 9, the rest just to run well. I think about 250 started the race and it is always really competitive. When the gun went off, we settled in. I ran with Cheryl Beatty for about 30 km, while Gary and Ryne worked on up ahead. Not coming into this race super prepared for longer distance, I was not sure if I would run more than 50, but I knew the others would be fine.
I ran to 45 and decided that was it for me, I would now become a cheering squad for my friends. Gary Robbins rolled back through the 65 km check in 6th overall, and running very close to the sub 9 hour mark he set. Cheryl and Ryne cruised through. Cheryl was in 5 or 6th and Ryne was looking in rough shape. With encouragement, Ryne set out to finish this bastard.
Off the the finish line I went with Danielle and we waited. Click, there goes the 9 hour mark. Click, Click, Click, runners coming in and no Gary. 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th...Well, Gary had put in a lot of time on some of these folks...I knew something happened. Yes-he missed a turn (people miss it every year) and ran about 11 minutes the wrong way-22 total. Well, it would have been close. At 9:22 he crossed the line in 12th. An excellent race!
Cheryl crossed the line of her first 100 km run in about 10:30. Feeling great. Cheryl has a long adventure racing history and I wil admit I was happy when she told me that was the most suffering she has ever done!! She rocked.
Melcher suffered-a lot. but this was a better victory than many the others. With 50 km and 50 mile times like 3:10 and low 6's 50 milers, ego can often get in the way of finishing. He put it aside, suffered, and finished Miwok '08!
Congrats to the team-next up is the 1/2 Knacker!
Ellie Greenwood decided to lace up for the Vancouver Marathon. I don't have a race report yet but I know she was 3rd woman and ran a 2:55!!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Miwok or umm. Me Walk?
Well, the team is ready to roll, 4 of us heading to Miwok 100 km next weekend. Gary Robbins will lead the pack out after coming off an amazing Diez Vista 50 km (2nd place). Cheryl Beatty is ready to roll and I think Ryne Melcher is feeling good. That leaves me (beer)......um, errrr, ok, maybe Miwok or me-walk (beer). No excuses (beer), my longs runs have not been so loooong (beer) and I'm just not as fit (beer) as I need to be. But May will be bear down time for Western. I just need to get through Miwok in 1 piece (beer)!
So, let's see Gary take one for the team and Cheryl Beatty roll through her first 100km!
So, let's see Gary take one for the team and Cheryl Beatty roll through her first 100km!
Ellie Run Boston-Miwok Next
Well Boston marathon is WAY off being a trail race but being THE marathon of all marathons I couldn't resist the temptation to run Bean Town when I herad a few friends were heading over this year. A few friends and a total of 21, 963 other runners, this was not going to be a laid back and low key event. The whole Boston experience is slick , professional and organised to perfection. I arrived a couple of days ahead of time to have a chance to get over the journey and explore a little of the city. This was a great idea as even though we over did it on the sightseeing on the first day (walking is way more exhausting than running!) it meant we had the day before the marathon to chill and enjoy the US womens Olympic Trials. What better way to get into racing spirit other than watching the top US women battle it out for 3 highly coveted places to Beijing - the atmosphere was electric and the crowds have me an idea of what to expect the next day.
Marathon Monday dawned (Boston marathon is always held on Patriot's day - a holiday in Massachuessetts) - though not quite soon enough for us getting up just before 5am - a full 5 hours before the race gun went off. First a shuttle bus to get the the T (as Boston's transit system is called), then a ride on the T to get to the marathon shuttle to transport us to the start. As we all piled on to the school buses we seemed to bear an eary resemblance of prisoners being taken off to be incarcerated! But instead we were deposited near the race start where a whole athlete's village was set up to hold all the runners before being called to the start. We'd lucked out this year and already the sun was begining to come through the clouds and the temperature was rising. One last trip to the portapotty (about half an hour just to get to one!) and we were hearded like cattle into corals of 1000 runners. The corals are based on qualifying time so the better your time, the better your start position.
Despite the crowds I was amazed that it took me less than 10 minuts to get to cross the start line and even my first mile was only about 20 seconds off pace. Soon I settled into a comfortable pace (as this was a training run for Vancouver marathon 2 weeks later) and I began to soak up the whole experience. Supporters lined both sides of the course, usually several rows deep. Kids handed out oranges and popsicles and looked so forlorn at the prospect that you might not high five them, that you just had to. At first I wished I had put my name on my shirt to get more chering as others were getting who had personalised their shirts but after a while i decided that too much sideline support was possible and I just wanted to run without having to feel obliged to smile at each and every stranger that cheered from the sidelines. Just when I thought it could get not get louder I heard a roar in the distance that grew louder and louder - it could only be Wellesley college! Thousands of girls lined the sidewalks quite literally sreaming their heads off! I think it was at about this point I began to wish I had brought my ear plugs!
Boston is a net down hill course and everyine talks of the need to take it easy at the start to avoid trashing your quads, but I think that any trail runnner can safely ignore this advice! Infamous Heartbreak Hill? That mountain that stands at the 21 mile mark? I was half way up it before I even realised it was Heartbreak and I was at the top about 1 minute later. I think 'Heartbreak Molehill' would be a more fitting name for anyone that has run trails!
That said, the last 4 miles were tough. The crowds were loud, the temperarture was peaking and the road was rolling. In addItion as there are mats to track your chip every 5km there is some sort of pressure to keep an even pace rather than just get a good finishing time! It was with welcome relief that I saw the finish banner over Boylston Avenue and made a final push to the end. 3:07:20 after that start I stumbled over the finish, happy to have run a solid race and set a PB.
I would highly recommend Boston as an experience to any runner. To be part of such a huge and prestigious race with the history of Boston is worth it alone. It's not trail running - you should not expect to escape the crowds and find peace and quiet. You should expect a highly organised road race on a course where you feel you have achieved something by just taking part. It's one BIG running celebration and Boston knows how to party!
Marathon Monday dawned (Boston marathon is always held on Patriot's day - a holiday in Massachuessetts) - though not quite soon enough for us getting up just before 5am - a full 5 hours before the race gun went off. First a shuttle bus to get the the T (as Boston's transit system is called), then a ride on the T to get to the marathon shuttle to transport us to the start. As we all piled on to the school buses we seemed to bear an eary resemblance of prisoners being taken off to be incarcerated! But instead we were deposited near the race start where a whole athlete's village was set up to hold all the runners before being called to the start. We'd lucked out this year and already the sun was begining to come through the clouds and the temperature was rising. One last trip to the portapotty (about half an hour just to get to one!) and we were hearded like cattle into corals of 1000 runners. The corals are based on qualifying time so the better your time, the better your start position.
Despite the crowds I was amazed that it took me less than 10 minuts to get to cross the start line and even my first mile was only about 20 seconds off pace. Soon I settled into a comfortable pace (as this was a training run for Vancouver marathon 2 weeks later) and I began to soak up the whole experience. Supporters lined both sides of the course, usually several rows deep. Kids handed out oranges and popsicles and looked so forlorn at the prospect that you might not high five them, that you just had to. At first I wished I had put my name on my shirt to get more chering as others were getting who had personalised their shirts but after a while i decided that too much sideline support was possible and I just wanted to run without having to feel obliged to smile at each and every stranger that cheered from the sidelines. Just when I thought it could get not get louder I heard a roar in the distance that grew louder and louder - it could only be Wellesley college! Thousands of girls lined the sidewalks quite literally sreaming their heads off! I think it was at about this point I began to wish I had brought my ear plugs!
Boston is a net down hill course and everyine talks of the need to take it easy at the start to avoid trashing your quads, but I think that any trail runnner can safely ignore this advice! Infamous Heartbreak Hill? That mountain that stands at the 21 mile mark? I was half way up it before I even realised it was Heartbreak and I was at the top about 1 minute later. I think 'Heartbreak Molehill' would be a more fitting name for anyone that has run trails!
That said, the last 4 miles were tough. The crowds were loud, the temperarture was peaking and the road was rolling. In addItion as there are mats to track your chip every 5km there is some sort of pressure to keep an even pace rather than just get a good finishing time! It was with welcome relief that I saw the finish banner over Boylston Avenue and made a final push to the end. 3:07:20 after that start I stumbled over the finish, happy to have run a solid race and set a PB.
I would highly recommend Boston as an experience to any runner. To be part of such a huge and prestigious race with the history of Boston is worth it alone. It's not trail running - you should not expect to escape the crowds and find peace and quiet. You should expect a highly organised road race on a course where you feel you have achieved something by just taking part. It's one BIG running celebration and Boston knows how to party!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Ellie Off To Boston
Keep on eye on the Boston Marathon this coming Monday April 21st, as Team Montrail Canada member Ellie Greenwood takes on the 42.2km course. Go Ellie Go!
8125 Greenwood, Eleanor J. 29 F Vancouver BC CAN GBR
Friday, April 11, 2008
Team Represents at Diez
Through some hard battles and injuries, Team Montrail Canada represented well at Diez Vista.
Gary Robbins ran hard for a 2nd place finish, Aaron Pitt placed 6th and Ryne Melcher ran in hurt at 13. Ellie dominated the field again and cruised into 1st overall.
Individual accounts can be seen below...
Gary Robbins ran hard for a 2nd place finish, Aaron Pitt placed 6th and Ryne Melcher ran in hurt at 13. Ellie dominated the field again and cruised into 1st overall.
Individual accounts can be seen below...
Ellie's Ahhhh-bbreviated Diez
Anyways, few comments on DV. ... It was cold at the start - I was in 3 layers including a waterproof jacket as it had just started to rain and looked threatening weather to come. But the steep uphill at the start warms you up quick and soon runners were spreading out. Pretty slick on the roots on the technical downhills - lots of runners came across the finish line with scrapes from falls though I think all of Team Montrail were fine! Course was marked great - plenty of flagging and awesome volunteers cheering on and providing aid. Up the power line the grey skies, sleet falling and bracken reminded me more of Scotland than Vancouver :) I ran with Ryne for a bit, gaining and losing on each other as we stopped at aid stations etc. Gary must have gained on Aaron (winner) in the last half as after the turn arond where you cross paths with runners ahead Aaron was further ahead. I knew from this point that I was a comfortable distance ahead of the 2nd place woman so could relax and enjoy the run more! (esp seen as Suzanne Evans wasn't competing this year!). Trails in pretty good condition - no snow and not too muddy given the dryish week before. I was glad to knock 10mins of my course PB of 3 years ago. Brightened up to enjoy the BBQ and awards after. Sold oput though I think some people got day of race spots for no shows..
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