Fall has officially arrived in New England. Summer was kind to us this year and stretched through most of September giving us over 20 days of sun. I wish I could package up the warm summer days and unwrap them on the days when I feel the gloom of the grey “stick season” beginning to affect my mood and energy level. I suffer from “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or as the appropriate acronym states I get S.A.D. Do you get S.A.D.

With the changing of the seasons and the end of a crazy busy summer race schedule I have fallen into a slump. My body is fatigued and has reminded me of this by gifting me with not one but two colds in the past two weeks.  I know my body is telling me to rest and slow down but sometimes it is so hard to dial it back. I am trying . . .

September ended with two high points however which will help me to stay motivated. In mid-September my awesome team of Pete and Gerry’s Organic Chicks had an amazing race at Reach the Beach NH. We raced our hearts out and had an amazing third place finish in the women’s open division. We were in disbelief at our finish time and overall place. What an accomplishment! It was awesome to see 12 women pull together to work as a team and support each other through the night and the miles to finish with smiles on fast legs at the beach.

Pete and Gerry’s Organic Chicks

Leg 1 of Reach the Beach Relay-Fast Chick in a skirt

After Reach the Beach (and only two and a half or so hours of sleep during the race) my body was feeling pretty fatigued and I immediately caught a monster cold. During the week I slept and rested as much as possible because I new I was headed to the Cape the following Saturday for the ZOOMA Cape Cod Women’s Half Marathon. Leading up to the half my first priority was to get healthy so I ended up not running at all during the week. My body thanked me and I was able to shake off my cold. Phew! At the ZOOMA Race I decided to see how my body felt once I was on the course and to pace myself accordingly. I used the first 2-3 miles of the race to find a comfortable pace and to work my legs out (I definitely should have gotten that massage post-Reach the Beach!). I settled into my pace and focused on the beautiful ocean scenes on the Cape. The temperature was perfect. In the 60′s and a light misting rain. When I had 2 miles to go I was able to dig deep and pick up my pace (doing pace pick-ups during training runs has definitely helped me to find this extra kick). I crossed the line in 1:42.21.  It was not a PR but I was proud of my finish and for the first time ever I won my age group at a half marathon!!!!!!

ZOOMA Cape Cod

Go for it!

Proud runner chick

Now with the leaves and the seasons changing it is time to refocus and set some new goals. I have a lot of things that I am hoping to work on and improve upon this fall and winter . . . PLEASE STAY TUNED . . .

If I can run up “The Beast” aka the mountain access road to Killington Ski Resort dressed as a “Peep” at the VT 100 on 100 Relay after having already run a marathon (26.2 miles) worth of miles, then you can get out there and do whatever you put your mind to! (Pete and Gerry’s Organic Chicks Ultra Team)

Which came first? The Chick or the Fried Egg? Getting ready for my run up “The Beast” at the VT 100 on 100 Relay.

p.s. At this point in the race I still had about 10 miles left to run!

p.p.s. Our fried egg Bridget had fried legs after going down the other side of Killington!

Heart of Vermont Productions

Organic Runner Mom vs. Loon Mountain

Tomorrow is the Acidotic Racing Loon Mountain Race. I am ready! I am ready to face this mountain running challenge. Earlier this week my energy was completely off and running felt like I was dragging around a couple of lead weights. Plus with all of the humidity my lungs felt tight and slightly suffocated by the humid pollen filled air. Thankfully my energy has shifted and I am ready to go for it and give everything tomorrow morning.

Loon Mountain Race

The plan for the race tomorrow is to run for me. To run because I love it. To challenge the mountain. To challenge my body and to challenge my mental strength.  I want to reach the summit of the north peak of Loon via “Upper Walking Boss” and to have an empty tank. That’s what it’s about right?  Putting it all on the line! (plus as an added bonus again I might be able to win the best prize for any racer . . .our very own Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs)

Extreme Protein-Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs

Be sure to check back soon for the race report. This is the women’s qualifier for the US Mountain Running Team so there will be some amazing runners out on the course tomorrow. It will be awe-inspiring!

Promise

The day was picture perfect for a Loon Mountain Race training run. Bridget and I set out for the mountain early on Sunday morning after an energizing night of laughter with friends the night before. We met another Pete and Gerry’s Organic Chick, Tricia at the base of the mountain. We were decked out in a rainbow array of Skirt Sports running skirts, ready to challenge the mountain in style, ready to show off our “evil legs.”

This is how I feel when I wear my skirt out for a run! (Evil Woman!)

The plan was to run the course for the race before race day to get an idea about the difficulty of the trail which Acidotic Racing boasts features climbs with 40 PERCENT!!!! grade! As we headed up the mountain Bridget shared her hand drawn map of the course which we promptly lost as we headed out through the thick mountain grasses.

Which way do we go? I think we go up!

We ended up blazing our own trail on the way up.  We enjoyed the scenic vistas along the way and the nice cool early morning breeze that kept our sweat at bay.  On the way up we talked about mountain running form and how to not waste energy on the long trek up.  Using great advice from Coach Goode of The Sustainable Athlete I focused on keeping my strides shorter and quicker while keeping my body upright. I have a bad habit of trying to muscle my way through uphill climbs rather than focusing on form and pace. This can be the kiss of death resulting in burning up too much energy to early on in the race. It is amazing how much we are able to learn from each other as runners as we challenge each other in different ways. We also talked a lot about the importance of going outside of your comfort zone in order to find success. Whether it be in math class, at a new job, or on the race course it is important to find your point of disequilibrium and then to face it head on. By challenging our comfort zones we are more apt to find our inner strength and to be able to use it as an advantage.

When we got to the top of the Gondola we discovered a playground so of course had to take a mini-break from our run for a little bit of playtime. Then Tricia bid us farewell and opted to hop on the Gondola for the ride back to the bottom.

Find your inner child

Bridget and I decided to continue on our adventure. We needed to run for approximately another 2 hours but first took a mini-detour  at the Loon Mountain Glacial Caves which in addition to squeezing our way through giant boulder crevasses included some stair running (hello quads and hamstrings!)

Caving

After our little detours to please our inner-children we got back down to business and headed up the north peak to the point where the race will finish on Sunday. The view from the top was absolutely breathtaking. You could see for miles and the mountain side was covered in daisies, periwinkles, orange and purple wildflowers and the sweetest, most jewel-like wild mountain strawberries. At this point in the run the sweetness of the tiny berries was a welcome treat.

Loon Mountain Descent

We descended down Upper Walking Boss which was in reverse of the race course. The run down was exhilarating. The scenery definitely distracted from the increasingly fatigued legs.  On the way down we ran as the we were carving turns down snow covered loon mountain, traversing the hillside back and forth in a gentle rhythm.

WOW!

Incredible NH

Our mountain adventure continued over to the south peak which required quite a bit more bushwhacking through tall allergy inducing grasses (My legs were covered in hives when we finished) with much trickier footing. There were a lot of rocks and deceptive footing which included holes hiding under wild flowers. We did not get to enjoy the luxury of weaving back and for the across the mountain side at this point. The grass came up to Bridget’s waist! My hamstrings and quads were definitely whimpering by the time we reached the bottom and we were looking for the escape route!

Escape Route

When Bridget and I finally returned to the car drenched in sweat but full of smiles we decided to end our running adventure with a cool dip in the Pemigewasset River flowing at the bottom of the mountain.  The water was perfect for a post run “ice” bath for our tired legs. We opted for a shallow pool of water not in the direct river flow as the perfect spot for a refreshing post-run swim. Nanook (Bridget’s Husky and our awesome running companion ran right in and lay down in the fresh mountain water).

B and Nanook, Daisy girl

Organic Runner Mom, Caution Tough Chik in a skirt

Flora on Loon Mountain

Now, it’s time to do some mental preparation and get out there and enjoy the Loon Mountain Race! Oh and as an added bonus I now have the chance to win some of our very own Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs at the end of the race!

Have you ever raced up a mountain before? I’d love to hear about it!

Related posts and articles:

Acidotic Racing: Up Next Loon Mountain Race

Saturday was my first time racing at Team Amp’s Six in the Stix Trail Race. It was a hot and sticky morning in NH do running in the woods sounded like a perfect idea. Before the race I quietly warmed up on the trail and this was one of the first things that I encountered . . .

This might be the quickest way to the finish!

Too bad I forgot my skis

A little ski jumping anyone?
I was hot before the race got started and felt antsy to get going. The energy of the racers was high as we entered the woods and I quickly found my pace as we entered the woods for some uphill. The woods were cool and the footing was soft.
Every time I get on the trails I feel like a kid on an adventure through green fairy land. The air always feels refreshing and the woods always seem magical even when i am pushing the pace. How do you feel when you are on the trails? Racing or just out for a fun run?
This race was my favorite distance. I know I can push hard through the finish and have begun to find my speed. The downhill came at about 3 miles in. I have been working hard on my downhill running. I’ve found it’s best to stay loose and let gravity take over. Running down is all about watching your footing while at the same time being just on the edge of out of control.
The race finished near the ski jump on the track. The loop around the track was a little jolting after being on the trail but I pushed to the finish in 49:56. I ended up third in my age group which landed me a spot on the “podium.”

Psyched about my 3rd place finish and even more excited about enjoying some pancakes and my prize syrup.

The prize was sweet-maple syrup! Yes, please!
I hope to hit the trails again soon for another awesome trail race.
Happy running and get out there hit the trail!

Syrup anyone?

Related articles

• Six in the Stix Trail Race (organicrunnermom.com)
• Conquering Cannon Mountain (organicrunnermom.com)

Tomorrow will be another day of fun racing. I am headed to Newport, NH to run in the town forest at The Six in the Stix trail race. This race is a part of the Western NH Trail Race Series put on by Team Amp (Same organizers as the Winter Wild Series).

Trail Running Adventures

Trail running and racing is one of my favorite things to do. My first real experience with trail running began when I moved to Barnet, VT and began running on the Kingdom Trails with a bunch of runners who like to call themselves the Kingdom Krazies. We would spend countless hours running the endless trails, uphill and down, up the mountain, through the winding beautiful Vermont wilderness. How could you not fall in love with trail running? Racing on trails means going fast and the additional challenge of navigating the rocky/root covered terrain (roots sometimes being referred to as chicken necks which I think is hilarious) sometimes made slick by the rain. Racing on the trails brings a huge endorphin rush but at the same time a weird sense of calm that comes from the intense focus required for the fancy footwork as well from the crisp fresh air in the woods and sounds on the trails.

I welcome the adventure that awaits tomorrow. What adventures do you have planned?

Related articles

• 5 Peaks Trail Running Series (mec.ca)
• Going Greenbelt: 5 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Trail Running (willrunforglitter.com)

Did the ‘Santa’ in your life wait until the last-minute to pick out the perfect gift to put under the tree? Here is one of my new favorite running must-haves that will have you shouting with glee on Christmas morning:

1. The Garmin Forerunner 405CX (https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=142&pID=31859_)

My new best friend

I got this GPS watch for my birthday this year and even though I am still figuring out how to operate all of the different functions this is my new best friend on the roads and on the trails. It has more bells and whistles than the new-top-of the line SUV. You can track every aspect of your training including heart rate, mileage, pace, distance and much more. You can upload the data from your runs to the computer and analyze your run (although you may not want to wear this post holidays due to all of the pace slowing holiday eating but how could you resist those delicious Christmas cookies?) Another super cool function is the ability to set up a virtual training partner (for the days when solitude is what you crave which of course is the necessity of all runner moms on certain days!). The only thing I wish Garmin would change is to offer this in some more girlish colors because I know many women who would definitely sport this in pink or purple or a pretty spring green.

Look out Reach the Beachers . . . here come the chicks!

I’ll be out there this winter tracking my miles as I train for a marathon this spring and another Reach the Beach Adventure. See you on the trails!