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I made my decision at the 2018 Upriver 50km after party at El Tres. If I could have one beer and leave, I didn't have a problem. Somehow a second pint went down the hatch and I was like, "yep, it's a problem" and I walked out the door and 8 years later here we are. The energy you get to make change from running an ultra is precious....for those who raced recently...take advantage if it fits. . There are vibrant 12 step groups in town. Some aren't right for me, some are amazing. Google 'AA and "your city"' and they are there. People who get it. . Memoirs of an Addicted Brain (Marc Lewis) and Quit Like a Woman (Holly Whitaker) are my favorite sobriety books...especially for those who don't like 12 step stuff . The Sister Margaret Smith Center has great counselors and programs in Thunder Bay. Google it if it fits. . Some friends will get it. Some won't. Only you know what's right for you, it's not a competition to be the worst or hit bottom the hardest. I have friends who let me know I'm loved with words and/or actions....you know who you are and I am grateful every day for you. . I still struggle w thc gummies and nicotine and gaming too much and isolating but also as long as I don't have that first drink....I win. Running really helps. A hobby. A community. Identity. Lots of weirdos who put one foot in front of the other and talk about many random things while running through the forest.
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Ran my first ever ultra last weekend… 50K UpRiver Trail in Tbay & I’m so proud 🥹 The celebratory chocolate milk was gooooood, the views were awesome, and our support crew was damn good, too! But the best part? I got to run it alongside my best friend @taramacchi 🏃🏼‍♀️💕 I love you & so proud of you (always!)
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Last weekend I raced in a 50km trail race. It was hosted by @upriverrunning in Thunder Bay. I didn’t make my goal of a sub 5 hour finish, but that’s ok and I still feel very happy with the effort. I am especially happy that my knees were only sore during the race and didn’t stay sore long after (the next day the knee pain was gone and only sore muscles remained). A few take-aways and numbers: - I only started running a few years ago and used to poke fun at people running (“why would anyone want to do that?!”). And that previously the idea of running a marathon was something I didn’t think was passible for me. Fun to relearn the idea, as an adult, that you never know until you try. - Distance, 51.78 km; elevation gain, 761m; pace, 6.06/km; moving time, 5:15. - 7th overall (out of 41 racers) and second in my age group (40-49). - Learned a lot about my body and what it might take to race longer events in the future. Thanks to everyone who helped make this event happen, especially everyone with @upriverrunning. And special thanks to Antonio for making me feel welcome to my first (mini) Ultra race. But the biggest thanks goes to Mary and Miali for driving down to surprise me at the finish line! What a treat to see their smiles as I approached the finished line!
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RACE RECAP To say this race tested me is an understatement. I rolled my ankle around 3km, fell down a hill around 24km, and spent most of the race bruised, swollen and beat up. My toes are black from changing my gait to protect the ankle and repeatedly smashing them. Somehow, 0 to 25km still felt great. The top three stayed together for most of the first loop. I dropped to 4th around 27km, then somewhere around 35km I fell back to 6th. That was the low point. I was sore, tired and wanted to quit. I even told our aid station guru I was done at 40km. Then I got there, had a @milkandwatercakeshop cookie, completely forgot to drop, and just kept going. The final 10km became about breaking the race into pieces. Get out of the Cascades. Get over the next hill. Keep moving. Stop worrying about the finish. On the last climb both quads started cramping, so I walked. Once I hit the red trail with 2km left, I emptied the tank. That was probably the biggest lesson from this one. When things go sideways, you don’t need to solve the whole race. Just deal with what’s in front of you and keep moving. The first loop was about position and learning the course. The second loop was a physical and mental fight. I wanted top 3 male. We got it. @upriverrunning Fall 50km Race / Chip Time 5:11:00
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I have no idea how to caption all of this. 🥹 My first ultramarathon - 16 months postpartum, after IT band problems all summer, mom of two, going back to work, trained with this goal in mind for about a year. Goals are possible!! I could not have done this without George - my husband and best friend. So unbelievably supportive ❤️ my kids for being so patient and joining on stroller runs. My mom, sisters and in laws who have all taken turns watching the boys if I needed to do a Saturday or evening run. It really takes a village! So of course they were all there for me this weekend and surprised me with shirts of my face and signs 😂❤️ and my bffs - Shanna for letting us stay at your house and watching me cross the finish line! And Kels who also drove to Tbay to join the fun!! I am so lucky to have these people in my life. ❤️ This was really unbelievably hard, the terrain was something I didn’t get to practice much. Let alone moving my body for 8.5 hours. That was wild and I hurt all over. But the crazy thing is I would totally do it again haha. Thank you @upriverrunning for an amazing first 50k race!
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Big weekend for everyone this weekend! Have fun @upriverrunning
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Before a big challenge, the nerves hit hard. There’s excitement, doubt, and the question "Why am I even doing this?" I’ve put in the work. Now I have to trust it. I'm not doing something I think will be easy. I know its going to get hard. I’m doing it to show myself—and my kids—that it’s okay to chase something that scares you. That you can be tired, nervous, and unsure… and still keep going. No matter what happens, I have a great team and family who support me. This is the reward for all the hard work I put in! Before your next challenge, remember your why. What kept you training each day? This is what its about. This is the fun part! Soon, I’ll take the first step. One mile at a time. ❤️ @upriverrunning @angela.lombara @dgninja291 @tycosta85 #upriverrunning #200miles #soo200 #ultrarunning
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Whether you prefer racing on inline skates, navigating forest trails on a mountain bike, or lacing up a pair of running shoes, fall offers a chance to explore the North Shore at a faster pace. Three races in particular offer different ways to experience the season: the @northshoreinline in Duluth, the @the_gunflint_scramble in Grand Marais, and @upriverrunning’s Fall Races in Thunder Bay. The events vary in distance, terrain, and difficulty, but each offers a reason to get outside, stay active, and take in the landscape as the seasons begin to change. 🔗 Explore these races using the link in our bio. - - #TheNorthShore #NorthShoreMN #ExploreMinnesota
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The final days before my 200-mile race are here. 😳  This week isn’t about getting more miles in. The work has already been done. Now it’s about getting everything ready for what’s ahead.  Packing gear. Sorting drop bags. Planning layers for changing weather. Preparing fuel and hydration. Charging lights and batteries. Making lists. Checking those lists. Then checking them again. 😂 Life doesn’t stop just because I’m about to run 200 miles. There are still kids, work, schedules, meals, laundry, and all the normal things happening around me. What I can do is make sure I eat well, hydrate well, and get as much sleep as I can manage.  For a very long race, you have to prepare for more than just running. You have to prepare for being tired, hungry, cold, hot, uncomfortable, emotional, and mentally drained. But underneath all the packing and preparation, there’s also the mindset work. I know it’s going to get hard. Really hard. There will be moments when I’m exhausted, uncomfortable, emotional, and wondering why I thought this was a good idea. So I’m reminding myself now: I don’t need to feel good for 200 miles. I just need to keep making good decisions. Eat. Drink. Move forward. Problem solve. Take care of my body. Repeat. I’ve put in the work. Now it’s time to trust it. A few more days of preparation. Then 200 miles of figuring it out. 🏃‍♀️💪 #200miles #soo200 #momsrunningultras #tapertime #upriverrunning @upriverrunning Full Gear check! All my long runs are done now. Tested my race gear - ready! What's in my pack? Recruited some help packing nutrition Hailey was a great help! Sorting out drop bags - still a WIP. Reviewing and downloading maps. Planning what to put in drop bags. Preparing for the course ahead. Ready!
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No ego running with races on the horizon pls
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I think it’s fair to say that smart/gps watches and smart phones are pretty ubiquitous in North America run culture at this point, with a resulting sub-culture that has evolved around the flurry of public run data being churned out daily around the globe with the Strava app being a primary mode of cultural transmission. . Phrases like, “If it’s not on Strava, it didn’t happen,” and “ugh, I forgot to start my watch and lost half my run” allude to the public posting of a run on a social media application as a principal outcome. You can’t lose any of your run in real life. It happened (or didn’t happen) and you know it. . Data is now available to every runner with a phone: run paces, heart rate zones, vo2 max metrics, cadence, stress volume, stride length, sleep quality, watts, distance, vertical, elevation….many things. Many many numbers. And inevitably with all that data comes comparisons. Comparisons with your former self, your friends, local rivals and who hasn’t creeped the profile of a secret nemesis or a secret run hero? I remember following Kilian Jornet on Strava and thinking that was pretty special. . And finally, Strava segments, virtual mini-race courses hiding everywhere with a publicly available top ten list for all to see. . Coach Kip often encouraged me to try wearing a regular watch or no watch for years. I didn’t listen, until a year of injury (that, in part, was due to Strava segments NO DOUBT) set me back and I decided to just, “do whatever Kip said” for one year. Part of that was ditching the GPS watch and this is my experience. I’m not an expert, I’m not anything special when it comes to running but I hope my experience entertains and is helpful more than preachy! When I stopped focusing on my watch metrics and was off Strava, I found myself increasingly moving out of my head and into my body. The process of adaptation started to become a long, slow and delicious process that I was more present and engaged in. Ever notice how when you cook a meal really mindfully and kinda pour love into it, it just tastes better? You’re less likely to toss the leftovers if they get a bit old and you probably would portion and freeze them nicely with
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Nutrition and Hydration: here’s what’s working for me ! I would like to add that cold perogies cut into little pieces and covered in salt (carry in a ziplock bag) works as well French fries with salt for the long run. @upriverrunning #upriver #upriverrunningambassador
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