Chase the Moon 12 Hour Endurance Run (Race Recap)

Highlands Ranch, CO
Friday July 11 - Saturday July 12
Ultra Marathon #10 (?? Who am I??)
Weather - Humid, warm

I was BEYOND excited when I heard that the same people that put on the Bear Chase Trail Race were going to be putting on an ultra AT NIGHT. I was so excited for Chase the Moon that I set my alarm and registered the second registration opened at midnight (obviously, there is something wrong with me). Like all the times in the past I have signed up for something crazy, I had grand aspirations of training. That didn't really happen, but I was still excited to see what I would be able to get done.

The race started at 7:00 pm on the south side of Denver in the bluffs of Highlands Ranch. I took the day off from work in hopes that I would be able to sleep late (lolololol), relax, and then head down to the race. I pretty much have no recollection of how I spent the day, but I left for the race around 4:35 on Friday afternoon. We have been having some really hot, humid and moist weather in the metro area. I was relieved when the temperatures began to drop a bit (from mid 90's to upper 80's) for the forecasted high for the day.

Pretty much the minute I pulled out of my driveway, it started POURING. There was thunder, lightning, TONS OF RAIN. The temperature dropped about 20 degrees. Well, I would obviously run in cooler weather, however, I didn't especially want to get struck by lightning or end up on a muddy trail.

Oh wells.

So apparently, even if you are driving on the outskirts of town, Friday is still Friday and traffic was AWFUL. I had planned on getting there early (before 5:30), so I could get everything situated. Traffic was CRAP and my 38 minute drive took closer to 70 minutes. PLUS, it was still pouring. This was starting to not sound like the most fun ever.

I found Mountain Vista High School with no problems, parked my car, and walked over to get my bib. I like the "no waste" races where you just get your bib and your shirt. The shirt is gender specific, and the Chase the Moon logo on the front glows in the dark. Cool!!

I still had over an hour to kill before the race started. I texted my friend Dan (the guy that paced me during my 100) to see if he was there yet. After using the bathroom, we wandered around the start area chatting with other runners and locating the tents where we could place our drop bags. We ran into Luke and Courtney and they offered to let Dan and I leave our bags under their tent.

Me, Dan (in grey), Luke (in orange), Courtney

By this time, it is almost time for the last minute course instructions. I finally see my fellow INKnBURN ambassador, Jeff, and we get a quick picture together before heading over to the start line (where I used the bathroom one last time).

I seem to have missed some of the instructions, but I wasn't too worried. I would be starting towards the back and I could just follow everyone else, right? Of course... The race included solo runners, as well as relay teams of either 3 or 5 runners, and it seemed like there was about 100 of us standing at the start. Dan and I had briefly discussed running together, but he decided to run alone to start with, and would decide later if he wanted to slum it with me in the back.

At the start line

The first section of the course was on pavement heading up to the trail. It was uphill and I was already jogging slowly. I still managed to have the fire calves early on in the race, and within the first 10 minutes, I was already one of the last runners in the back. No big deal, I had plans to be out there allll niiiight.

(Flashback from memory AFTER the race). I had been thinking I had never run this section of trails, and I was sort of right. The super flat sections that were not single track I actually HAD run before on a training run with Runners Edge last summer.

Anyway, like usual, I had not looked at the course at all before the race and I really had no idea what to expect. I figured that the bluffs were going to be mostly exposed (which it was) and not too technical (which it wasn't). However, I always get confused with "elevation gain" and I was thinking... oh, 774 feet (or whatever it was) per loop... that's practically flat. (LOLOLOLOLOLOL).

Basically, the course was much hillier than I expected and I was taking it very easy. We took the first turn on the the trails maybe a half mile in. I was planning on taking all my pictures in the first loop while it was still light out.

Jeff managed to get this picture of me as we are heading out on the trail

I ended up chatting with the gal in front of me quite a bit. She was so nice!

Dusk is coming...

Finally, after about a half hour, my legs started to feel less angry and I started to pass some people on the course. I still was stopping to take pictures - the sky looked amazing.

There was (what felt like) the longest out and back section ever to the Grigs aid station. In the runner guide it said that it was a fluid only station, although they did also have some pretzels and gels. I was feeling great at this point (you know, 3.7 miles in) and turned around at the timing mat to head to the next section of the course. We got more single track on the way down and part of the trail was actually somewhat shaded.

I'm really not a great trail runner to begin with, and frankly, running at night on trails does freak me out a bit. I have no idea what might be on (or off the trail), I don't want to fall, etc. etc. I was hoping to get as many miles in as possible while it was still light enough to see, and before I got too tired. I passed a few more people before getting to aid station. Most were very gracious about stepping to the side. However, one woman (wearing a Marathon Maniacs shirt) said "you can pass but I'm not stepping off the trail." Oh. Super. Thanks so much.

Shortly after passing through the Outlaw aid stations, I decided I better get my headlamp ready. In the past, I've been wearing it around my waist as it seems to light up the ground better for me. I don't know what the deal was, but I could NOT get it to angle right and after about 5 minutes I decided I better adjust it to just wear on my head. That was a catastrophe. Every time I adjusted it and put it on my head, I would try to tighten it and the band would come out of the gripper and I had to start all over. At least this kept me occupied for the greater part of the THREE MILES until I got back to the starting area. Back at the start, I refilled my Nuun bottle, grabbed a PB&J sandwich and a fig newton, and headed right back out. I have learned that if I am not careful, I can easily waste a LOT of time at aid stations. I might as well eat and walk at the same time.

The date of the race was chosen specifically because of the "super moon" we were supposed to have - the moon was supposed to be "bigger and brighter." Unfortunately, because of the storms we had earlier, it was fairly cloudy, and I don't remember seeing the moon much until well after midnight.

The first section back to Outlaw didn't seem too bad, although I did almost step on A FROG, but luckily it jumped out of the way. I did scream an outburst, which seemed to amuse the runner heading towards me. After that, I was REALLY looking at my feet more often. I did notice that all the creepy crawlies were out, and the bugs (specifically something that looked like a cross between a roach and a beetle) were disgusting and were scuttling around.

Grabbed some peanut butter pretzels at the aid station and headed out toward Grigs.

I have pretty much no recollection of much of this section. I think this might have been where I was thinking, wow, I don't remember there being so much downhill on the way out. This is pretty steep. I was running alone the entire time and never felt like I could get lost. It did get a bit lonely out there by myself, but I was still feeling pretty good. I was still making decent time. I used the bathroom at the aid station and on my way out, the volunteer asked if I was Rebecca. I said I was, and then she pointed to Dan, who was lying on the ground next to the table. He was suffering from a migraine and was dropping. when I left Grigs and headed back into the start/finish. On the flat stretch, I saw a buck jump across the trail - that was cool. This time I just grabbed more food and then headed back out.

And here is where things went horribly awry.

I was heading back out for the third loop. I had left the start/finish area before midnight and felt that I was making good time. I was following some runners heading up the hill, and that is when I made a classic rookie mistake....

I knew that we were going to head out on the trail to the left... We were going up the giant hill, and I see a turnoff. Two women are heading up the hill and I hear them talking about a "missed turn." I stop and turn... something doesn't seem right. But I see the tape and there are glow sticks... I ask a guy behind me "is this where we are supposed to be going?" He says, it's obviously the course and jumps on. I follow. I see runners heading towards, me, I'm obviously on the course. I am running well, and then all of a sudden... I'm on pavement. Wait. What? There should NOT be pavement here. I had, in fact, re-run the last section of the course for EVEN loops, not the correct direction for the ODD loops... I realized this for sure when I got back to the split in the course. WTF. I'm ready to cry. I have just been running (in essentially a circle) for the last 45 minutes. I'm pretty much BACK at home base. I immediately text Dan. I'm disoriented now, I don't know what to. Had I been thinking clearly, I should have just turned around, ran back up the hill, skipped the trail section altogether and headed to the aid station.

What I did INSTEAD, was get back on the trail, going the "correct" way. So basically, I ran an extra 2.4 miles... This completely messed me up for the rest of the race. I was in a crappy mood now, and I had no idea how long it was going to be until I got to the aid station. I hadn't had any fuel. By the time I got to the aid station at around 1:20 in the morning. My 3.7 miles from the start/finish to Grigs had taken over 1:45 with the detour (instead of the 46-50 minutes it SHOULD have taken).

Dang. It.

I'm running a lot less now, I'm just sorta bummed about my "free miles." I'm thinking it is now IMPOSSIBLE to get my 5 "official" loops in, and now I'm wondering if I can even do more than my four loops. I'm doing a bit better by the time I get to Outlaw, and the run back to the start is not memorable. I did, however, put on my tunes (for the first time on a trail race/run in MONTHS), which helped a tiny bit.

I'M STARVING by the time I get back. I grab a full half PB&J sandwich, more peanut butter pretzels and fig newtons. I've been downing a cup of Mountain Dew or Coke at EVERY aid stations, and this is no exception. I head back out and I'm able to run pretty decently until I get back to Outlaw. The hills between Outlaw and Grigs pretty much kill me. My legs are hurting pretty badly and I have to keep stopping to rest because my calves are SCREAMING.

I do NOT remember there being so much uphill. I swear, I have amnesia. The course does not look at all like I remember. WHAT IS HAPPENING :(

I know I'm ON the trail, I keep seeing runners, but I am very disoriented due to my extra mileage and feel like I will never get there. My Garmin is still running - surprising, since I thought the battery life was 8-10 hours. Finally, I get a low battery beep on my watch... unlike the 405, it does not, however, tell me how much battery is actually left. I stopped it and saved my run just over 10 hours in. My head was still hurting from my headlamp, but it was bright enough now that I could take it off. Headed into Grigs and I know for sure that I am going to be done after this. For a brief mile or so, I thought that if I got back to home base with at least an hour and 10 minutes to spare that I would try to get more official miles by going back to Grigs.

However, those last miles back to the start would tell me there was no way that was going to happen. Finally, the sun started to come up... the wind had picked up though, and for the first time during the race, I was a bit chilly.

The last few miles lasted FOREVER. I had managed to go most of the race without being passed and I had a few runners pass me on the single track. I just had nothing left in me. I hit the pavement and thought I might be able to run the downhill, but it hurt too bad. Finally, when I turned the corner and I could see the finish area, I tried to jog it in. Can you tell how much pain I'm in???

I managed to cross the line, and they asked me if I still wanted to head out for another lap, as I had 10 minutes before they would not allow anyone to go back out. UM NO. 

I stopped and grabbed some cookies at the aid station because I WAS STARVING. Glad the photographer caught that on camera:

Cookies make me happy

I'm guessing I'm scowling because it looks like the Flappin' Flapjack people are tearing down!

First order of business after some initial calorie intake is the medal. I saw a volunteer with bags of medals, she asked how many laps I completed and I told her 4. She pulled a medal out and then slapped a "sticker" on the base of the medal:

Womp. That was disappointing. I actually ran an official 41.2 miles, so to have it say 50k when it was a "12 Hour Run" made me a little sad.

Official Miles - 41.2
(With bonus miles) - 43.6
Time - 11:24:12
Overall Place - 49/92
Division Place - 7/14
Lap 1 pace - 13:22
Lap 2 pace - 13:50
Lap 3 pace - 16:05 (thanks to the detour)
Lap 4 pace - 16:37 (thanks to the walking)

I dropped off my gear at my car and then sat with "Elevated Legs" for a wonderful and much-needed massage. I managed to meet up with the girl I had been talking to at the beginning of the race and we walked the 1/4 mile to the post-race party at the nearby park (since there is a "no-tolerance" policy for beer, we couldn't have it at the start/finish area). You know what makes me REALLY happy? Kiddie pools filled with beer.

So. Delicious.

I stuck around for 2 beers, food and the awards, and since it was already after 8, I figured I better head home.

Thoughts:

• Overall, this was pretty fun. I have only run one other race that started at night. I really had no idea what to expect. I knew I would be slower at night since I'm a scaredy cat, but I was really planning/hoping on running 5 loops (51.5 miles).
• Related: LOL
• The course was tougher than I imagined and I didn't get nearly the training I needed done to seriously be able to tackle that many miles. I had not done any runs longer than a half marathon since March - so I don't know why my A goal was so ridiculous.
• I am NOT upset with where I finished. I am upset that I made the rookie mistake of not looking MYSELF for the course and markings. I KNOW BETTER.
• With that said, the course WAS very well marked. There were flags all over, markings in the dirt for the light hours, and glow sticks on the trail or hanging from trees for the night hours. Me screwing up is just on me, but I'm still a bit disappointed by it.
• I'm a bit disappointed in the aid stations - only because of how amazing the Bear Chase aid stations are. After being out MUCH longer than expected, I really needed some real food, and there wasn't anything there. Again, I probably should have had my own fuel on me.
• I ran in the Pure Grits I won a few weeks ago - they were just fine! My toe tips felt a little tender when I was done, but no blisters and still have all my toenails.
• I LOVED running with my Orange Mud vest. It is really the greatest.
• I don't know if I would run this race again. I enjoy the ultra experience, but running alone, at night, in the dark, is not the most fun ever.
• FREE FREE FREE race pictures!!
• Overall, really good for an inaugural race!

Week in Review (July 1 - July 7)

Continuing on with #21KidFreeDays

Tuesday - Headed out to a "new to me trail" (North Table Loop / Mesa Top Trail) - even closer to home than I have been running. I planned on running about 2 hours. I was glad for it to be a "cooler" day as the trail I ran was very exposed - once I actually FOUND the correct trail. The first two miles were on a trail to the bike park. Then, I realized that a bridge I had run by in the first .25 mile was actually crossing the street TO the trail head. Duh. There were no maps available so I figured I would do a few miles out and then come back. There were a decent number of bikes and a few hikers. I hit what I figured was a decent summit and then headed back, enjoying the non-technical terrain. And of COURSE, that's when I tripped over a rock and slid, face first, down the hill. LOLZ. NOT on a technical trail, a pretty much flat one. 7.5 miles.

Looked way more disgusting a day or two after with it all scabby and pink and infected looking

Wednesday - Headed to run club! I was SORE after my fall on the mountain and figured I would do my minimal 2ish miles to earn a beer. I barely made it two miles, but got it done. Brooks was the sponsor of the night, and they brought "cornhole" for us to win prizes. I was the second person to throw and believe it or not, I got a CORNHOLE IN ONE!! As the first winner, I got to pick ANY pair of Brooks shoes, and I picked the PureGrit 3. I loved the original Flow's and figured I could use a new trail shoe (especially after my LAST trial run). So excited!

Obviously not a picture of MY throw, lol

Thursday - LONGEST.DAY.EVER. at work. I think we were the only people working, and, we didn't even get to leave work early. Skipped the workout and went to happy hour. I did go to the gym to walk a mile on the treadmill. I need to go at least 3 times a week to earn my $20 "health rebate."
Friday - Got up early for another "easy" trail run, testing my new PureGrit 3's, which I loved. Went to the same place (North Table Loop) where I fell earlier in the week, only this time, no falling. I also took a bit of a different direction (lots of trails on this mountain) and looped around with pretty much exactly what I wanted to do - another 7.5 miles.

Billions of hours in the car driving to Steamboat. In bed before the fireworks. I'm such an old lady.
Saturday - Mountain Madness half marathon.

Then, billions of hours driving BACK from Steamboat. I don't remember what I did that night. Must have done nothing. I think that was the night I went to bed at 8:30.
Sunday - NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING.
Monday - Chaos. Hard, like always.

Weekly Miles Run - 30.12 (15.01 trails, 2.0 road, 13.11 "racing")
Minutes of Cross Training - 60
Minutes of Strength/Stretching - um. none.

Weekly Gain - 0.2 pounds (121.2)

• Actually a little surprised it wasn't more. Again, I've come to the conclusion that I either care, or I don't. And right NOW, I seem to care during the week and not-so-much on the weekends.
• A former paralegal-turned-baker brought in a pizza box worth of samples from her bakery. Lemon bars and shortbread cookies covered in peanut butter and chocolate were my favorites.
• LOTS of pizza this weekend.
• Average amount of beer.
• Eh.

Everything Else

• I just have to say that THIS year, with A gone, I'm in a MUCH better place than I was last year. I'm still spending most of my time alone - a LOT of time on the trails, but I'm not super sad.
• Related: Eff this online dating nonsense. These "men" be CRAZY. I haven't even found one person in the last two months WORTH setting up a date with. I guess being picky will be my downfall (or saving grace?)
• Work has been crazy busy, STILL. Lots less time to play around on the Internet Machine. Good and bad, I guess. 
• I had registered for a SUPER CHEAP marathon in the mountains in September and I got the email this week that it has been cancelled - the race director wants to put more time into the ultras he organizes. Wah.
• Related: Um, so, yeah. I'm running a 12 hour endurance run this weekend. That starts at night. I haven't run anything further than a half marathon since March, when I ran that extra long 50k... Should be... fun. And hopefully not 1). A BILLION degrees (yesterday, it was 88 at 7:00) or 2). Monsooning (last night at 9:00 it was crazy windy, thundering and lightning and dumped a TON of rain). Current forecast is... high of 91 degrees, 30 percent chance of rain. Wheeee!
• NOTHING from the car I hit over a month ago. NOTHING. So weird.
• I swear there was something else, I just can't remember what...

Mountain Madness Half Marathon (Race Recap)

Saturday, July 5
Steamboat Springs, CO
Half Marathon #110
Colorado Half #46
Weather - SUNNY

The Mountain Madness half marathon was a fairly late addition to our schedule. With my Dad willing to drive us there (it's about 200 miles away), a long holiday weekend and a $35 price tag, we were in.

We decided to leave early so that we could get to packet pickup in Steamboat by 4:00. We thought that leaving around 10 would give us plenty of time to deal with holiday traffic, get lunch, etc. We got a bit of a late start and traffic was way worse than we would have anticipated. We had to take the "long way" through the canyon. Stopped in Silverthorne for a delicious lunch of Qdoba before finishing the last two hours of the drive.

Steamboat Springs is one of "those mountain towns" where everything is on the one main road. We found "Ski Haus" with no trouble and picked up our packet. And by packet, I mean my race bib and my shirt. (Which, by the way, was a women's cut). No frills, no junk. Checked into the hotel and my dad took Hannah swimming while L and I watched Seinfeld reruns. Dinner was Beau Jo's pizza, beer, and an ice cream / giant cookie / peanut butter mousse "thing."

I had no desire to watch fireworks so I stayed at the hotel and tried to go to bed early. WHICH DID NOT WORK. I tossed and turned all night, barely getting any sleep at all. Woke up before my alarm and did NOT feel rested. Oh wells.

The race started at 7:30, but we knew it would be small and the start was only a few miles away. My dad dropped us off around 6:45 so we would have time to cycle through the bathroom lines. We had to walk about a quarter mile to the ice rink where the race would start. My guess is there were about 60 people running the half (there was also a 10k option, but that didn't start until 8).

It was already HOT AND SUNNY. The only thing we knew about the race was that it was called MOUNTAIN MADNESS, it was a half marathon, and it was EXPOSED. So, I decided to bring my Orange Mud vest... just in case.

The race discouraged walkers in the half marathon, so when I started in the back, I was... in the back. During the first half mile, there was NO ONE behind me. About 3/4 of a mile in and the fire calves kicked back in. I felt like I was not starting out too fast, which is usually the cause of this, but maybe the slight gradual uphill caused this? I spent MUCH of miles 1 and 2 walking (even the walking didn't really make it feel better, but running hurt a lot more) and wondering how I was going to get through this race.

I hit the first aid station and turned around and only saw one woman behind me, and she wasn't too far back. I really did NOT want to be last. I did some run/walk intervals up a giant winding series of switchbacks.

Finally, somewhere just before mile 4, we hit DOWNHILL!! I finally passed two more people and was just getting into a good groove when I saw this "unofficial" aid station:

Well, of course I had to stop and take some of each. Those people were THE BEST. More gradual downhill for about another mile before hitting the next official aid station around mile 5.7.

I saw this fox run across the road

I thought he course was an out and back, so heading back out I was thinking that I would hit the aid station in about 10 minutes. But, I kept going. And going. And going. And I had NOT seen L yet. What is happening?? I finally see her and she tells me the turnaround isn't for a mile? WHAT. Am I running a 15 mile half? I finally see it, and it's about 7.5 miles in... the guy tells me it isn't a true out and back. PHEW.

By now I'm just dying of the heat. I'm hot. I'm tired. I just want to be done. I am ALONE on the road, with the exception of the bikes and occasional car. I had aspirations of passing a few people, that didn't work. There was a tiny bit of shade when we got closer to the river, with about a mile to the finish.

However, I was literally walking at mile 13. I only ran for the finish when I saw L and Hannah. She got a perfectly accurate picture of my misery (LOL):

Crossed the line, no frills, no medal. Although, a woman threw a pair of socks at me and told me I missed the raffle and prizes and I could just have them. Ok thanks. There were some deli sandwiches, oranges and bananas at the finish.

Garmin Time - 2:33:26
Garmin Distance - 13.11 miles
Garmin Pace - 11:42 (considering ALL THE WALKING, it really could have been worse)
Mile 1 - 11:41
Mile 2 - 12:17
Mile 3 - 14:08
Mile 4 - 12:59
Mile 5 - 9:42
Mile 6 - 10:43
Mile 7 - 11:50
Mile 8 - 12:35
Mile 9 - 10:42
Mile 10 - 11:50
Mile 11 - 11:52
Mile 12 - 10:52
Mile 13 - 11:00
Mile 13.11 - 10:35

Thoughts:

• I don't know WHY I race in the summer. It is so so so so so hot. (It was supposedly only 64 degrees when we finished, but Steamboat is practically ON the sun and it felt so much warmer.
• A very small, no frills race - but worth the $35. I probably would not have looked at an elevation profile even if one had been up, but it would have been nice to know the "out" was so far "out"
• I was SHOCKED at how little of a gain was really on this course. It felt much harder. Maybe because of the fire calves, maybe because of the boiling hot sun, not sure.
• Aid stations were well stocked, with some sort of electrolyte drink that wasn't terrible and water. The turnaround had Tailwind (which Fast Cory swears by). They had Honey Stinger gels and waffles as well. Plus, the unsanctioned aid station was really the best ever. I can't say that enough.
• Even a race this small did gender specific shirts (not a tech shirt, but still, a shirt I "could" wear again).
• I probably would not run this again, but mainly because it takes forever and a day to get to/from Steamboat.

Orange Mud Hydra Quiver Vest Pack 2 (Product Review)

Now don't get me wrong, I really don't have an issue with my Nathan Hydration vest. What I have a problem with is the bladder... I know it sounds incredibly lazy, but I put diluted Nuun in my pack and I have to actually wash it out and make sure it dries properly so it doesn't get moldy or gross. I've had the pack for two years, and it has served me well, but I was looking for something "easier."

From the first time I saw someone wearing an Orange Mud pack, I was intrigued. Smaller pack style and water bottles on the back...

Initially, I tried the HydraQuiver Double Barrel. The whole point of having a hydration system of ANY kind is to have enough fluid for me to get through an ultra or a 4-5 hour training run. The price point was just right at $109.95. I tried it out on a 10 mile training run... and hated it. The fit was "off," I was adjusting it the entire run and I chafed under my arms. Now, I am prone to chafing under my arms anyway. I think it just moved around on me too much. I was super bummed about sending it back. (PS - one of the best things about Orange Mud is their awesome customer service. They are responsive to emails and process and ship orders practically immediately. They also allow you to TRY the pack, and if it doesn't work you can send it back for a full refund. Yep.)

Lucky for ME, they just released a VEST pack. I was super excited to try a different variation of the bottle hydration.

Pic from Orange Mud website (I don't have a picture of me wearing it on my back...)

The Hydra Quiver Vest Pack 2 was a bit more pricey at $149.95, but still very competitive for a hydration system. I was able to score a deal with a Father's Day discount code, so I went ahead and ordered it. I was optimistic that the adjustable chest strap would make a huge difference for my small frame, AND IT DID. Spoiler: I love it.

First, the specs:

• Food/accessory pockets on the shoulders for quick access. (I use one of these pockets for chapstick, and the other for a small bottle of sunscreen).
• Front chest pockets for access to nutrition on the fly. (These pockets are much larger than they look. I can put a TON of stuff in them. In one, I put a map if I have one and my iPhone. In the other, I put all my nutrition and car keys - if I don't have a pocket somewhere else).
• Bottle based hydration for easy fill, easy clean-up. (Now, the pack comes with two Orange Mud bottles, but really, any sports bottle will work. I fill one with Nuun and one with plain water).
• Medical grade mesh for maximum breathability. (It is so small compared to my hydration vest, I don't feel nearly as "confined" and sweaty as I used to).
• Adjustable bottle capacity from 21 to 26 oz. (Comes with two 24 oz bottles, so 48 oz of fluid total. Less than what my vest capacity is, that held up to 70 oz. I feel that I'll rarely need more than 48 oz., so for now, this is not an issue).
• Dual side macro adjust, front micro adjust. (The chest strap makes a HUGE difference for me. I only find myself needing to readjust if I am adding another layer of clothing).
• Sturdy under a sprint or slow and steady. (No issues with this, although I don't ever actually "sprint").
• Glove like design for a comfy fit. (This pack DOES, in fact, fit me quite well).
• Bungee on the back, in between the bottles. (I used this feature when I went hiking last weekend and I was easily able to bungee a long sleeve shirt, and did not notice a difference in the fit after doing so).
• And... my favorite of all? MADE IN THE USA!!!

Like anything else I review, I really wanted to use this a few times under varying circumstances to get a real feel for it. I really like that it is so small and compact, and SO easy to clean. Even if my Orange Mud bottles are dirty, I of course have a billion other bottles that I could use in their place. It seems much more sanitary to me than a vest, and honestly, I was starting to have a hard time opening and closing the nozzle on mine, especially if my hands were cold. NO ISSUES WITH THAT!

If I had to make a complaint about this product, it would only be the elimination of the back pocket from the Hydra Quiver Double Barrel. There are some items I rarely, if ever, use on a run and want to store away out of the way of stuff I do use. (Tissue, batteries for a headlamp, first aid). However, Orange Mud (of course) has already addressed this, and I spied on Instagram recently that there will be an additional purchase option of a zippered "small pack" that would fit in between the bottles. When that becomes available, I may look into it.

Overall thoughts on this product:

• I love, love, love it. It perfectly suits my needs. I can carry BOTH water and Nuun, and the cleaning process is the easiest ever. Perfect for me since I have NO time to to be washing out a bladder every time I do a run longer than an hour.
• The vest does not bounce or move on me at all. With the adjustable straps on both sides AND the front, it really does fit like a glove.
• The water in the bottles obviously makes noise, but every run I have done in this pack (I tested the pack out on four different hikes/runs totaling over 10 hours of wear time) I ran without music and did not find it annoying.
• Related - my need for this product will almost always be during the summer months. Since I overheat very easily, I wanted to be sure that the pack itself would not chafe or aggravate my skin on my shoulders or back. Every time I wore this pack I was wearing a tank top or camisole (thin strap) top. NO rubbing or chafing on shoulders, back, OR, most importantly, under my arms.
• There is a TON of space in those front chest pockets. If needed, I bet I could carry a cheeseburger in one. (Hey, you never know. I get hungry).

Ready to get one of your own?? You can buy one HERE.

Week in Review (June 24 - June 30)

Tuesday - Normally I do my speed work on Tuesdays, but I had the opportunity to run in the morning, so I headed out for a run. Only manged to get 4.8 miles done, but still so much better than being on the treadmill. After dinner, went on a bike ride with A, and then did some stretching. Been SO tight and sore lately. I need to do this more often.

Wednesday - 10 minutes on the stairmill before class. ALMOST DIED. How how HOW can stairs be SO hard. I thought I was having a heart attack. Then, BodyPump. I'm still the weakest ever. More stretching once I got home.

Chickie in the sports bra set up like a FOOT away from me in class. WHY.

Thursday - Decided to do the speed work I did not do on Tuesday. I had 2x1200's on schedule, along with 4x800s. I did not have it in me to do the 1200s, so I decided to give it my best effort with 800s, doing 6 sets. Goal pace on the 800s is 9:05 (so roughly a 4:33 800). My lower right back had a weird "ache" to id and it was actually sort of painful to run, especially through my warm up. Actual - 1 mile at 10:53, 4:36, 4:32, 4:28, 4:25, 4:23, 4:17 and cool down 1.25 in 13:17. Pleased with this workout. (A bit disappointed that my 800's used to be sub 4:00, but I'm working on it). MORE stretching, and lucky for ME, Fitness Blender had recently done a video specifically for loosening the back, just what I needed.
Friday - Company BBQ. I was dreading this initially, but it turned out to be a LOT of fun.
Saturday - Up early (unfortunately a bit hungover), for another run on the Apex Trail. I was not feeling great, so I cut it a bit short, running only a little over 9 miles.

Unrelated - my cat of 16 years has been sick for the last year with hyperthyroid issues and he has gotten much worse. After not eating for days, I had to have him put down. The treatments weren't working. It was the WORST. He was still "fine" personality-wise, still mobile, yet he wasn't. SUPER depressing.

Literally, the last picture of Chilly, taken just a few minutes before they took him back :(

A and I spent the afternoon at the pool with a friend, then we had to do last minute packing for her visit to Texas. Womp.

Sunday - A had a very early flight, and after I dropped her off at the airport, I decided to go hiking. Initially, I wanted to climb Mt. Bierstadt, but I had some pretty terrible directions, and by the time I got to Guarnella Pass Summit, it was already about 11:00. I found a spot on the road to park and when I saw there was "a trail," I decided that whatever was there would be fine. I planned on running (lolololololol) and hiking the steep inclines. Now, the lower part of the trail was pretty muddy and wet. Apparently, there is still a substantial amount of snow at this elevation.

Yes, this "creek" is the "trail"

I had to do some "snow crossings" - which got my feet a bit wet. VERY little, if any, running was taking place. I finally got to a sign that gave me two choices of where to go. I picked what looked "flatter," but ended up turning around as there was a TON of snow and I didn't feel comfortable navigating the side of a mountain, it "easy" trail shoes and slipping and sliding on the rocks. Did I mention that I saw NO ONE out there? So, I headed back to the fork in the road. I looked at my other option. I saw NO actual trail. I did, however, see a guy in no shirt waaaaay up at the top. Well, I will go that way. HOLY CRAP I ALMOST DIED. (I'm just being dramatic. Sort of.). I have not "climbed or hiked" in a very long time, probably since I did Inca Trail and the Leadville marathon. Did you know that there is NO air when you are in the 13k range? I was taking like 15 steps, stopping, hyperventilating, repeat. I actually had a mild panic attack when I realized I could not see a single person, and I was on no idea WHAT mountain with no clue if/where there might be a summit. I took about 20 steps back down the mountain before I convinced myself I would be very upset if I didn't TRY to get to the summit.

This is the "trail" / "hill" that almost killed me. SO STEEP.

Once I got my breathing under control I headed back up. And up. And up. I saw one cairn on the trail. Tons of rocks, wildflowers and MORE SNOW. I thought I got to the top... NOPE, false summit. This happened twice. And then... I WAS THERE. I saw a huge cairn at the top. I MADE IT! (Didn't know WHERE I had made it (at the time), but it was somewhere, and it was high up and it was gorgeous).

Thanks to Garmin data, I know this is the summit of Square Top Mountain - the 111th tallest peak in Colorado

I had to be extra careful on the way back down because of the loose rocks and the steepness, so again, NO RUNNING. The snow on the way back was slippery (I know, I know) and I pretty much skied down. HUGE sigh of relief when I saw people again. So. That was fun.

According to Garmin data, my moving time and elapsed time were different by over an hour. Did you know, at one point I was moving so slow the Garmin couldn't recognize my pace? hahahaha! On the drive home I got stuck in mountain traffic, so I stopped in Idaho Springs at the Tommyknocker Brewery and had a chili beer. Yum.
Monday - I had gotten the Worst Sunburn Ever during my hike. Yes, I had put on sunscreen, but apparently, when you are ON THE SUN, you need to apply more than once. I debated on not going to Chaos, but since L was going, I also went. It was hard, as usual, but I'm glad I went.

Weekly Miles Run - 19.27 miles
Minutes of Cross Training - 5+ hours (long hike, bike ride, stair mill, CHAOS)
Minutes of Strength/Stretching - 3 stretching videos, 44 minutes

Weekly Gain - 0.4 pounds (121.0)

• I watched calories pretty well. Not sure why the gain this week, although I did have a little more beer than usual. Not too worried or concerned about this, just going to continue to be conscious of my choices and hope things don't get too out of control.

Everything Else 

• For real, nothing is happening. My goal while A is gone is to stay busy and to get out and do the things I say I always WANT to. So far, so good.

Garmin Forerunner 220 (Product Review)

(while also reviewing what did NOT work for me in the never-ending quest of finding a GPS watch I love...)

I have been using the same watch for the last four years, my "trusty" Garmin Forerunner 405. It's been "mostly fine" - except that the battery life is now about half of what it used to be (it's a miracle if it lasts 5 hours now). I have also noticed that the GPS seems more "off" than it used to be. I know some of that is just the nature of GPS, but I also think it has to do with not getting firmware updates, etc.

Anyway.

Possible replacements for the dying 405

BIA

As you all know, I had backed BIA two years ago. I had hoped to have the ridiculously long battery life for all the ultras that I planned on running (back in 2013). Once the watch finally rolled out, I have to admit that I was disappointed. The initial launch did not include the long battery life, the wristband is VERY uncomfortable (cheap Velcro - scratchy) and the "go stick" is GIGANTIC.

The Go Stick is like 6 times bigger than my iPod shuffle!

 Thoughts on the BIA:

• Maybe if I was a triathlete, this would be a "cooler" watch. It is STUPID easy to set up. There are three options - swim, bike, run. I pretty much only tested the bike function as I could not imagine actually trying to run with all these pieces.
• The Go Stick is GINORMOUS. And apparently, you have to wear on the same side of your body as the watch and it had to face a certain way... all of this spells disaster for me. It's bad enough to have a two-piece unit, but all the "restrictions" made it way more complicated than I wanted to mess with.
• I did not find I got satellite ANY faster than my Garmin. In fact, I had to try a half dozen times to get a signal at my house, even after BIA assured me that the second time attempting to get satellite at a location you have previously used would be faster. I did not get that.
• Not overall sure on accuracy as I used only for very short bike rides. I did not test in the mountains or on a long race. I also did not wear concurrently with my Garmin to see if they matched.
• Also - NO BACK LIGHT?? This does NOT help for when I am running ultras at night... I need to see what is happening!
• I did really like that it synced with MapMyRun and uploaded automatically. That is a neat feature

Anyway, I ended up selling my BIA through a Facebook group and she LOVES it. To each their own!

GARMIN FORERUNNER 210

I was REALLY excited when I found a deal that would get me the Forerunner 210 for about $150. What a DEAL.

Thoughts:

• The price point was great. If only it had worked...
• Right out of the box, I had issues with the watch. I already had my 405 set up to Garmin Connect. The program recognized my new watch, I got it all set up and I took it for a super quick test run. I had a lot of difficulty getting it to actually sync with my computer. I accidentally did a hard reset, but then it synced (finally) and I figured it was fine.
• Related - the charger for this watch is ridiculous. The charger is not very user friendly.
• The fit of the watch is FANTASTIC. Much slimmer fit than my bulky 405. I liked the simplicity of not having the bezel and just having the buttons.
• I wore the watch for my race in Leadville. It took a bit longer than I expected to get signal, but then it seemed to work fine. I liked my initial set up of seeing overall distance pace, current pace and distance. It was much easier to read than my 4:05.
• However... my computer syncing problems were NOT over. I saved my run, when I plugged it in, the computer recognized that there was a new activity. However, EVERY TIME I tried to sync with Garmin Connect, it told me there was an error - the super helpful "fix" - your device failed to sync. I must have spent a half hour trying to get it to work, but to no avail. I tried the reset again, but this time it erased my entire run. I don't have time to mess with something so complicated!
• I'm pretty disappointed this one didn't work, would have been an inexpensive replacement for the 405. I'm guessing I just got a lemon, as obviously other people have this watch and I'm assuming it works fine. Just not for me.
• I returned the watch and got a full refund.

GARMIN FORERUNNER 220

View the specs of the watch from the manufacturer's point of view HERE.

After all my issues with the last watch, I decided to just buy this one at REI since they have essentially a lifetime warranty on their products.

Right out of the box, I can say that I love the charger. They do not include the wall charger, but anything you have that has a USB connection will work if you can't plug into a port on your computer. The watch cradles in and is much more secure while charging than either the 405 or 210.

There are five buttons on the watch, which I find to be a perfect amount and definitely better than the dumb bezel on the 405.

1. This is the light button, as evidenced by the bulb picture.

2. Up toggle button in menus.

3. Down toggle button in menus.

4. Pretty much the most important button on the watch. This is the "stop" "go" and "unlock" button on the watch.

5. The back button to exit menus or to exit run mode to just put you on "watch" mode.

1. Your GPS signal. If it is green, you have signal and you are good to go.

2. Bluetooth - again, if it is green, you are good to go.

3. Heart rate monitor (if applicable) - I no longer use this, but it of course is a function some people like.

I LOVE THIS WATCH. I wanted to wear it multiple times, in various situations, before I actually wrote anything about it. I have tested it on roads and in the mountains, I have worn it a half dozen times, already using a total of about 10 hours.

Thoughts:

• The battery life is supposedly about 10 hours. I ran a 2:20ish half marathon over the weekend and when I put the watch on the charger it had used 23% of the battery, so this seems about right. The battery life overall is probably my only "complaint" about the watch. Any ultra I do longer than a 50k will required my nifty portable charger, but I'm a pro at using that, so it's not a huge deal.
• I have gotten signal on this watch IMMEDIATELY every time I have used it. From my house (which is a dead zone) and in the mountains, at a place I don't even get cell service. MUCH faster than my old 405.
• Like the 210, setting up the watch was SUPER easy, took just a couple of minutes.
• The watch has BLUETOOTH. Now, if you are as technologically dumb as me, you're like, uh, what does that mean? Well, all this time, I never knew that there was a free app for Garmin connect. You can remain logged in and see all the runs/activities you have ever uploaded. Well, with BLUETOOTH, this watch syncs AUTOMATICALLY WITH YOUR IPHONE. I can't even get over how cool this is. As soon as I complete and save a run on my watch, I turn on my iPhone, open the app, it syncs with my app, and before I am even in my car, Garmin Connect has my run right there. I can even edit (add comments, name the run, etc), right from my phone. THIS IS BEYOND COOL. I can see my mile splits, max/min elevation, pace, MAP, etc. ALL FROM MY PHONE RIGHT AFTER I AM DONE.

My favorite thing to look at when I'm done is elevation - now I don't have to wait!

• Related to the Bluetooth, you can apparently send invites to friends so they can "live track" you. I don't know exactly how this works since I haven't tried that option yet.
• I have my watch set up for distance on the top, elapsed time in the middle, and "lap" time on the bottom. The lap time will reset, of course, every time I start a new mile. Not sure yet if I like that as my third "screen" yet or not.
• The watch has a vibrate function. One of the most annoying parts of getting the GPS signal is heading to the start line, realizing your watch has gone into power save mode and you have to start all over. This watch gives you 30 seconds notice before going into power save mode, beeping AND vibrating every 10 seconds.
• Related - on the lap splits, the watch also beeps and vibrates. Even if I am not listening to music, there are times when I don't hear the watch, so that is nice if you don't want to be a slave to your watch by seeing how/where you are on your run.
• The watch actually fits FLUSH against my arm. I think that the face itself is larger than the 405, but it fits so much better and is way more comfortable in my opinion. 
• I find the numbers very easy to read. I have not tried using it night yet, so not sure how great the light is, but I bet it's good.
• My biggest concern was knowing if/when/how I was connected to GPS. The 405 you either left GPS on all the time (which is a big battery drainer) or you had to manually go in and see if it was connecting and you it TOLD you it was looking for signal. The 220 just "does it." So simple.

I could not be more pleased with this watch. The investment was a bit more than I wanted to spend - the version with no heart rate monitor is $250, but I only had to shell out a bit more money than what I was able to sell my BIA for and I'm totally pleased with my investment.