Elkhorn Relay 2018 – The Report

Elkhorn Relay 2018

Team Gang Greens at the start

Elkhorn Relay 2018 found us on our fifth year as a team of running buddies sharing an experience that proved once again that we are alive, healthy, able to endure fatigue and discomfort, supportive, happy, and maybe a little bit crazy! Due to circumstances beyond our control, only three of the original team members were able to participate this year and we missed the Pages dearly. Although the complexion of the team varies from year to year, every participant becomes a part of the Team Gang Greens family. You simply cannot share an experience like this without becoming forever one of the gang.

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107 degrees!

Elkhorn Relay is organized and carried out by Doomsday Racing, a non-profit organization sending excess relay proceeds to a charity or ministry in foreign countries. You can learn more about Doomsday Racing and Elkhorn Relay HERE.

We chose this race for several reasons:

Accessibility – that was before I moved to Montana!

Affordability – all the organization and race weekend legwork are done voluntarily. Even the folks providing pancakes, pulled pork, and hamburgers and hot dogs!

Challenging Course – they bragged about the course and we know why! The 100+ temps magnified the challenge.

Where's my leg?

We loved this race for these reasons:

Accessibility – a short drive from the Treasure Valley, this relay is convenient for the running community in Boise and surrounding areas. The drive home is especially nice as the weekend’s sleep deprivation begins to take its toll.

The view!

The Course – we don’t train all season for a Fun Run! If you’re going to challenge yourself and your teammates, you might as well go for it. We dubbed this course the EKG and even put it on our team shirts!

Free Food – Really! Except for half a banana and a muffin at the end, most races require you to purchase your food. It isn’t so much about the money, but the convenience of having a meal ready so you don’t have to locate your money in the chaos that is your race van. Fresh water and sports drinks were also provided. Oh, and huckleberry muffins!

The Volunteers – they might not have been running, but many spent long hours volunteering at exchange zones, some fulfilling multiple shifts. I’m rather certain they were also experiencing sleep deprivation. One station lit up their canopy AND the portable toilet with Christmas lights! It was a welcoming sight at midnight. They were happy to be there, or they were very good actors. Best volunteers I’ve experienced at a relay!

Portable Toilets – okay, this is important to relay runners. They were clean and plentiful. Thank you!

We love our teammates for these reasons:

Adventurous Spirits – not every person you meet is willing to try something as challenging and unpredictable as a relay race. The weather may change (and it did) from blistering heat to a thunderstorm and back again. The team deals with it.

Happy People – its not okay to be grouchy when everyone around you is also tired, sore, uncomfortable, and doing their best to remain positive. It’s not easy to go without normal sleeping and eating patterns while exerting repeated physical activity. The team deals with it.

Injuries happen.

The team deals with it!

Runners to the Rescue – someone often gets injured. It’s just the nature of the running beast. And someone always steps up to log extra miles, or swap out an easier run, or run early to allow his teammate extra recovery time. It wasn’t planned, but the team deals with it.

Assisting a teammate

 at the end of her run.

Runner’s Respect – running is hard. Don’t ever think that the guy out their logging miles is doing it pain free or that you would be a runner if it was as easy for you as it is for a runner. It’s just plain hard and there is a bond that forms when people share misery. I often say, “A relay is the most miserable fun you will ever have.” It’s also a very effective way to gain family, the kind of family you were not born with, but will never let you down.

“Are you crazy?” People will ask, or maybe its an accusation. Perhaps we are, but we get to hang out with the best kind of crazy people on earth! They are relay runners, and they are family.

We made it!

206 miles in 31 hours 46 minutes!

Thanks, Elkhorn Relay, for a great weekend. We had fun and your volunteers were the best!

Catching some ZZZ anywhere he can!                      Cooling off!

Van 1 is done!

Team bonding. We love our pre-race dinner!

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!
Carol - aka Running Granny Green

Motivation to Run for Fun

I have admitted I don't love running, but there are some things about running that are fun! Fun can be a great motivator. I love making friends and running buddies are great friends. Racing, even when you are slow, can be exhilarating especially at the end. Feeling accomplished after a long run or completing a training schedule in preparation for your first half marathon is especially fun. Even during a difficult run, there can be moments of fun. Focusing on the fun stuff can keep you going when the going gets tough, or in other words, when you don't feel the motivation to run.

Running Buddies are Fun Motivators

I cannot say enough about the value of a running buddy. Running buddies encourage us to run when we would rather sit, to keep going when we would rather stop and to laugh when the situation seems dire. They commiserate over lost toenails and worn out running shoes. Running buddies indulge our desire to talk about food - a lot! They join us for a three mile run during a blizzard and accompany us on big adventures like the Grand Teton Relay. They are our cheerleaders. As they share our misery they become our community - our family. Running buddies are fun and they make us smile.

How Many Running Buddies do You Need?

Racing is a Training Motivator

Racing is fun and if you want to be committed to a regular running schedule simply register for a race. A paid race registration is second only to a running buddy when it comes to motivation. Download a training plan for a 5K, 10K, or half marathon and observe your satisfaction as you do the workouts then cross them off as completed. Don't forget to record your time! You may even find yourself looking forward to each training challenge.

Watch the t-shirts and finisher medals pile up as you find new challenges and races to test your endurance and fitness levels.

Motivation through Personal Satisfaction

Much of your running experience will be driven by personal satisfaction. Only your running buddies will understand what it means to cut ten seconds off your last six mile run. Remember, the entire running community is your friend. That's a lot of support, but your neighbor and even some family members may stare at you with glazed over eyes as you brag about your latest feat. Fortunately, you will feel enough satisfaction that it won't matter much who else doesn't understand. Besides, you can always reach out to another runner. You'll need to be prepared, however, to give them equal time to brag.

Enjoy comparing your workouts on your MapMyRun app, marking the workouts off on your training schedule, and rearranging your race medals by distance, year, size of medal, and so on. It feels good, even fun, to do something that challenges your physical and mental self. Personal satisfaction may be the only running motivation you need!

What better motivation than to know you are doing something that may prolong your life and make it more enjoyable along the way? I'm a granny and its the best job I've ever had! I want to enjoy it for many years to come!

Why do you run? Please share your motivation tips in the comments below.

Happy Running!- Carol aka Running Granny Green
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My most popular post about a tattoo

I think it looks like a tribal tattoo.  No?

It's the weekend and I am busy with family stuff, so I thought it would be fun to share my all time most popular post.  It happens to be from my other blog, but I think it fits here.  Please give it some love as my Guest Bloggers have been very popular and I'm feeling a little competitive about it all!  Actually, I am loving the input from my guests and my readers seem to be loving them.

Click on over and read my most popular post ...
How to Make Your Own Tribal Tattoo 

While you are there check out the new look and let me know what you think. (Orange isn't really my color, but I kind of like it on the blog.)

Have a great weekend and as always,

Happy Running!

Grand Teton Relay 2014 - the recap

Just over a year ago I stumbled upon a Facebook page that caught my attention and held it – for a year!  As I pondered the promised adventures of the Grand Teton Relay I was increasingly intrigued and my desire to participate grew with each Facebook post.  I visited the website and imagined what fun it would be to take on this challenge in the land of my roots.  The Tetons loomed in my mind as I began recruiting friends to participate.  I needed twelve runners for a team – twelve runners willing to spend nearly 30 hours cramped in two vehicles while forgoing sleep, hygiene, and nourishment.  These twelve runners would be asked to cover about 180 miles of some of the most majestic country in the world.  I began recruiting. I didn’t miss an opportunity to talk to runners at sporting events, church functions, and social gatherings.  I found it difficult to find twelve willing parties.  In the end I found I had assembled a team of some of the best people in the world! My team consisted of six men and six women.  Four of the runners had completed a marathon.  Three more had completed half marathons.  Three were in their twenties.  Three more were not-so-young.  Four were family. Two team members kind of hate to run. One only recently took up running and loves it.  None of the team had ever competed in a distance relay.  We didn’t really know what we were getting into. Our team name?  No Common Sense - Cons on the Run!

I have done some very cool things in my day, but this one ranks right up there with the best.  The Grand Teton Relay, or GTR as I will henceforth refer, was everything I had anticipated and more. I knew the scenery would be spectacular, for I had witnessed it before.  What I didn’t expect was the added bonus of a short summer storm that granted a variety of lighting (and lightening) to enhance the views.  As I stood in Ashton surveying the view of the Tetons in front of me and the evergreen covered hills of Island Park to my left, I formed a mental picture of the challenge we were about to undertake.  Our journey would take us to the east side of those majestic peaks!  It still boggles my mind. Several of our team had never witnessed this beautiful area.  I was so excited for them, but mostly for myself!

There is something special about shared discomfort, shared trials, shared pain.  Those shared experiences bond people together.  The GTR did that for No Common Sense and it happened in 30 short hours!

As No Common Sense began the relay, thunder and lightening and a down pour also commenced!  Our first participant, a not so eager runner, sprinted for a free sweatshirt.  He came up empty handed, arriving third, but he delighted his teammates and got us off to a great beginning.  The rain subsided after his four mile run and the day grew warmer. 

Fun Fact: Some people smile always.  So it was with our navigator, water boy, and runner, Andy.

The first twelve legs of the relay were challenging for most of the team.  We are lowlanders, residing at 2200’ above sea level, and we climbed into Island Park from 5300’ to as high as 7600’! Our youngest and strongest runner was battling bronchitis. We were adjusting to the elevation and anticipating the challenges of sleep deprivation and multiple runs in a few short hours. A stop for sightseeing at Mesa Falls and an attempt at a nap in some tall grass along Marysville Road helped Van 1 rejuvenate and prepare for our night run.

Fun Fact:  My father was born in Marysville. Marysville isn’t really there anymore – just the road. I didn’t know where we were napping until I returned home and reviewed the course map.

Another Fun Fact:  Night running is not as scary as I had expected.  In fact, it was my favorite leg of the course.

My second leg went something like this.  Having discovered that there is no way to recognize a night runner coming into the transition with only a headlamp and reflective vest in view, we determined to yell something creative.  “Prison Break” sounded like a fun option.  I also decided I would text Van 2 when I saw the “One Mile To Go” marker to let them know I would be arriving in a few minutes.  Well … this leg was back to 6000’ in elevation, it was cooler, there was no lightening of which I had been most concerned, and Steve Miller Band kept me company, especially this song! Take the Money and Run!

Nor was there any “One Mile To Go” marker!  I was running well, for me because I had adjusted to the elevation, etc.  I came upon the transition unexpectedly and began yelling, “Prison Break! PRISON BREAK! Where’s my runner!” He soon emerged from the restroom and was off and running!  Poor guy!  I cooled down with a cup of hot chocolate at the Tetonia City Park.

Another Fun Fact: Night runners can and may undress a little bit on a run and nobody will be the wiser.  This we learned from one of the nicest girls on the planet! Go figure.

And this one:  It is possible for volunteer drivers to sleep on top of their Suburban and inside of their Thule cargo carrier.

While Van 2 completed their night legs from Tetonia to Driggs and finished at the base of Targhee Ski Resort, we enjoyed a quick shower and another attempt at a few winks at Teton High School.  It is difficult to sleep when your babies are running relay races.  My two boys were in Van 2. After about an hour and a half of unsuccessful shut eye, we headed up Ski Hill Road to meet Van 2 and begin the last legs of our relay.

As each runner completed his/her last run and returned to the vehicle, the mood inside the Suburban became lighter. We had been enjoying the experience throughout, but the relief and satisfaction that came with each participant’s completion of the goal was contagious. Poor Van 2.

Fun Fact: Keep this one for future reference if you plan to participate in the GTR next year.  Van 1 has a much easier task than Van 2. The terrain is easier.  Van 1 gets right to the running while Van 2 waits several hours in anticipation. Van 1 finishes first – before TETON PASS!

I finished my last leg in Victor and handed off to the “Middle-aged Dentist Looking Fellow” who began the ascent of Teton Pass.  I could feel a sense of dread from my Van 2 teammates.  Van 1, on the other hand, was ready to party!

Teton Pass – 6200’ to 8438’ - four men!  The first climbed 561’ in 5.7 miles.  The second climbed 550 feet in 3.8 miles.  The third climbed 1192’ in 2.6 miles! The last descended 2300’ in 5.8 miles!

Fun Fact: The big brother is the little brother.

Two final runners took us from Wilson into Teton Village where we joined the party at the finish line! We soaked our feet in the cold water running through the resort.  I can’t remember what there was to eat, but I do remember the angel that massaged my feet and ankles!  I didn’t get her name, but I wanted to bring her home with me!

In the end, we finished in just under 29 hours.  I was hoping for thirty! We were faster than more than half of the teams! The weather was beautiful and there were no injuries or vehicle breakdowns.  We survived elevation, sleep deprivation, hunger, sweat, discomfort, and Sasquatch!  I lost two toe nails. Most importantly, we gained family members through our shared experience.  When we returned home we couldn’t stop talking about it.  Our friends who did not participate surely grew weary of our continued accounts.  They may think we have no common sense.  They may be correct.

Until next year … Go Team No Common Sense!

Feel free to comment on this post with your favorite memories of Grand Teton Relay 2014

Happy Running!

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Burley Spudman 2013 – A little older and a little faster!

Awesome Friend Paulee

I’ve told you about my awesome friend, Paulee.  She talked me in to joining her for a team effort in the Burley Spudman Triathlon last year.  It is a beast!  Paulee did the first two legs, swimming a mile in the Snake River and then biking 25 miles! She is also a beast!  I ran the last six miles.  We thought we were pretty cool last year when we won our age group – until we broke our trophies!  Read about it here.

Another year.  Another Spudman. Did I mention we are in the oldest team age group?  Sometimes you can get more competitive as you age because you move into an older group.  Ya, we don’t have that luxury to look forward to.  Fortunately, you don’t have to win to get a trophy. You just have to finish in the top three.  (We really wanted another trophy since both of ours are broken.) We knew the competition was going to be tough and kept telling each other that we were doing it for fun, to keep in shape for snow and water skiing, and we just needed to finish.

Some of our fans

Experience is invaluable.  Last year I was nervous for nearly two hours before it was necessary.  This year I knew I had more time to get prepared for the run and I stayed much more calm waiting for Paulee to return on the bike.  My tummy was happy about that.  Paulee’s swim was FAST and she really cut time on her swim to bike transition – opting to forgo socks and gloves this time.  The weather was cool.  It even rained a bit during the run.  I was equipped with my new light Pearl Izumi runners and I was able to manage my mid-run fuel better.  I ran my fastest 10K thus far!

 

Three must be our lucky number this year.  We cut three minutes off our time from last year and we placed 3^rd in our age group – good enough to get another coveted Spudman Trophy!

Unbroken Trophies

The best part?  That would be doing something I love with a friend I love.  That, and all the obnoxious bragging we do to our hubbies!

Obnoxious post-race selfie

Fit for Life 2013 – The Report

 

Ready to roll!

 

Well, here we are all pre-race smiles. We trained. We carbo-loaded.  We got up at 4:00am to eat breakfast and went back to bed for an hour.  We prayed!  I even cried a little bit at race start because I was excited to have Marie running this race with me.  I just knew she could break two hours.  It was almost like old times!

State Track 2005



Then we ran, and ran, and ran for 13.1 miles.  I could see her for awhile trotting up ahead of me while I labored along. I was ever so grateful for the shaded Boise Greenbelt because I had forgotten my sunglasses!  There was a guy ringing cow bells and I thought perhaps he was just my fan because I saw him at three different locations.  Hey Cow Bell Guy, I know you weren’t there just for me, but “Thanks for the support!”

I saw Marie again a half mile before the turn around point (my mile 6 – her mile7).  She was wearing the watch and called out my time.  Right on pace!  Too bad I didn’t drink Gatorade instead of water at the water stops.  I ran out of fuel about mile 10.  That’s when the walking breaks increased and I fell off pace.  My quads were killing me at the 11.5 mile mark.  I crossed Home Plate (finish line at Hawks Memorial Stadium) at 2:23:04.  That’s 26 minutes faster than last year’s High Desert Trail Run.  Respectable.

Marie was waiting for me with our other fans.

Some of the fans.

Some really great things happened!  Marie finished in 1:58:12!  I knew she could break two hours!  We both received finisher medals like this one.

T-shirt and finisher medal

 

And … we stayed at the after party long enough for me to win a pair of Pearl Izumi shoes from Shu’s Idaho Running Company!  A report on the shoes will follow.

My new Pearl Izumi's courtesy of Shu's!

 

The verdict is … Fit for Life is a great race!  Flat. Shady.  Friendly.  Fun!  Thanks to Jeff and the folks at BlueCircle Sports for a great time.  Thanks to Marie for running .  Thanks, especially, to Shu’s for the new shoes!

P.S.  No after photos due to a dead camera battery.  I am ok with that.  I don't look so good after!


Fun Run - It's not an oxymoron

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so too, is fun.  There are many who say that running cannot be fun so there is no such thing as a “fun run.”  I would argue that this is not so. This is why:

·         To a serious runner, it is fun to run a race and win.

·         To a recreational runner, it is fun to run a race and perform better than last time.

·         To a beginner runner, it is fun to run your first race and experience  the sense of accomplishment that accompanies it.

·         To a walker (because walking is allowed at Fun Runs), it is fun to do something healthy with other walkers.

·         To everyone, it is fun to get a T-shirt that tells the world you participated in a Fun Run!

·         Prizes are fun!  Sure, the fast guys get a prize, but race registrations often go in a drawing for things like water bottles, gift certificates, and socks.  That is always fun!

·         It is fun to hear observers cheering you on along the route.

T-shirt from Old Fort Boise Days Run 2012

The next time you hear the phrase “Fun Run,” remember it isn’t that running is fun (Well, for some), it’s that participating in a run is fun.  Don’t believe me?  Why not try it?  This one is small and low key, so you really can have fun!

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

Carol - aka Running Granny Green

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Running out of year ...

This running granny is running out of year!  The holidays (I am not being politically correct.  I am simply including Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my birthday!) have been tough on this runner.  Too much celebrating and not enough running, but things will begin to settle down - maybe late next week!
I thought it mighthelp if I listed the running accomplishments of the past year.
January - No races. However, I kept running through the cold weather.
February - Some days were two-a-days.  I ran in the morning and took Mom too the track for a half mile strol in the afternoons.
March - I began training for my first half marathon.
April - I visited Erie, PA and ran with my daughter and granddaughter.  The three year-old made it nearly a mile!
May - Beat the Coaches Fun Run in Parma - track team benefit.
June - Ahh, June!  Old Fort Boise Days Fun Run.  I finally broke a 30 minute 5K!  Then I almost died in the High Desert Half Marathon.  Read about it here.
July - Spudman Triathalon in Burley with my good buddy Paulee.  We took first place in our age group!
August and September - Cross Country. Running with the kids!
October - The Color Run with Tami and Karli.
November - A lazy Turkey Trot with my hubby (just the two of us) on the hills in Cache Valley.
December - Bust Your Bells Fun Run!

That feels better.  I can see that I did, indeed, keep on running all year - injury free!  I expect I will do the same in the year to come.   I will, however, find an easier half marathon!

Adding a little color to my routine

My next run may be the most fun yet.  That's what previous participants have said.  I am going to do my first Color Run this Saturday.   It's low key as far as performance is concerned.  It's not a timed race.  That will be a change of pace! I'm doing it for fun, and because I told a friend I would run with her.  We will probably be walking parts of the course.  Although I do have a competitive streak (who knew?) I am trying to give myself permission to go slow enough to enjoy, to stop and smell the roses, or at least take time to throw some paint! 
I am looking forward to it.  I need to find a white shirt to wear and I am wondering ... should I wear my running watch?

The Season Winds Down

Cross Country season is nearing its end with only one more meet for the middle school team and the district meet approaching for the high school team.  Here are a few things I have observed over the season.

Kids are tougher than they think.  Although it takes time for them to discover, it is okay to experience pain for a few minutes.  It will surely end when you stop running.  The trick is to endure the pain long enough to finish the race.

Bribery can help kids run faster.  They don’t even need to know what the prize is, “If you PR, I will bring you a special treat next week.”  It worked!   Most of the team set a Personal Record.

Middle school athletes cannot hear their teammates.  This is apparent from their constant chatter at the coach.  I had to remind them often that I had only two ears and one brain; therefore they would need to address me one at a time.

I’m gonna miss them - their aches and pains, their constant inquiries about today’s workout, their need for encouragement, and treats – it all kind of entertains and amuses me!  Besides, I always love to see kids push themselves, even if it does take all season to convince them to do it.

The Underwater Window: A Review

A few weeks ago I was approached about doing some publicity for The Underwater Window by Dan Stephenson which I did here.  I was also asked if I would like to review the book and share it on one of my blogs.  Although I was flattered, I was also hesitant. I wanted to read the book before giving it my stamp of approval.  (There is a lot of junk out there!) One might wonder why I am using this blog as a vehicle rather than my creative writing blog, CMGWrites. Here are my reasons:

I am a swimmer. The Underwater Window is a work of fiction featuring swimmers and relationships.

I am a runner. Runners experience similar pain (minus the oxygen depletion) that swimmers experience.

I am a little bit competitive. The competition described in Dan Stephenson’s book made my heart race and my arms and legs ache as I read about it.  It is very well written.  Of course, it may have helped when I remembered my own swim racing experiences. (They were not very stellar.)

I believe that experience in physical things brings us strength in mental and spiritual things.  This book supports those beliefs.

Did I mention that the book is well written?  Yes, I read for entertainment; however, I also read with a critical ear. Is this story believable? Are fragmented sentences used for effect or are they used so much that it is apparent the author has a grammatical weakness?  You get the drift.

The bottom line?  I loved The Underwater Window!  It had depth.  It had character development.  It had conflict resolution. Above all, it kept my interest and that can be a difficult thing to do! 

Way to jump into the deep end Mr. Stephenson!

Here are links to The Underwater Window website and Facebookpage.

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

Carol - aka Running Granny Green

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.