So Satisfying - Camellia Festival 10k 2017

by Jodi

I am in the thick of training for the Eugene Marathon.  I have been at this program now for fifteen weeks.  I am sore and hungry and tired, but so satisfied.  The training program works.  The high mileage/high intensity workouts have made me leaner and faster and given me confidence and awareness of my current fitness level and ability.  I'm so grateful that I have gutted it out through Oregon's wettest and grayest winter on record.  Man was it wet and cold and gray.  BLECH!

Got another Champion shirt. The first one was too small.  This one is too big.  Maybe I can win another race to get just the right size...  LOL.

Saturday, April 8th, 2017, was the Camellia Festival 5k and 10k fun run and walk in my hometown of Newberg.  It felt silly to pay to run the streets I run every day, but I love my town and my community.  The park district brings so much beauty and value to our lives.  I was happy to pay $30 to do my tempo run for the week in a race setting.

My marathon training plan is set up for a 3:15 marathon.  It sounds ridiculous to say that fast finish time out loud.  But I have been consistently hitting the training paces in spite of my skepticism.  The 10k pace for this plan says "6:40-6:55."  I wanted to test this track time out on the road.  Could I actually run a 10k in this pace range? I needed to run 43:00 minutes or under to achieve a 6:55 average pace, so 43 minutes became my goal.

Give N' Gobble 10k - November 2016

by Jodi

Me again.  Here's installment two of three for races updates.  After Hood to Coast, I dropped any and all speed and tempo work.  I continued my run streak, but dialed back my mileage and intensity. I needed a break from training schedules and some time to just let my body "rest" a little.  I ran just to run.  It was awesome.  And definitely slower than when I'm following a training plan.

Dawn ran with me on my 500th (or as she said "Fifth-hundredth") day of running consecutively.  This was a few days before our race on a gorgeous day at the Oregon coast.

Dawn and I decided at the last minute to run the Give N' Gobble 10k in Sherwood on Thanksgiving morning.  It's early enough that we could both get our run for the day in and be back to our families before they really noticed we were gone.

Neither of us had been doing any speed work or tempo training so we knew we would finish slower than the year before.  I wanted to try to run a low seven minute pace.  Dawn scoffed at my suggestion.  She wanted to 7:15 to 7:30 pace.  We both tried to convince the other that our plan was best, but in the end we agreed to disagree and each run our own race.

Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon - August 2016

by Jodi

Hi Friends!  Remember me?  I used to write all the time, but Life is happening.  It's full and beautiful and chaotic, and priorities are shifting.  My "free" time has been delegated to marathon training and cheering my kids on in their own sporting adventures.  Writing has suffered.  I apologize cause I miss writing and I miss the interactions I have with you.  Since Sole Sisters serves as my running/race journal, I need to update it on three races.  Here's the first of what should be three installments.  (Don't hold your breath for quick installments two and three).

The race started at Stoller Vineyards and we watched the sun rise.  

Incredible setting for the start of a race.

August 2016 - Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon
Finish time: 1:37:49 - 7:28 pace. Tied for 1st place Master Female and Age Group Division with my training partner Dawn.

One of my photography clients is a runner and works for a local winery.  She invited me and my training partner Dawn to join the Elizabeth Chambers Cellar race team, so we did. This race gives prize money so it draws a fast crowd, which is fun. Our original plan was to train hard and see how fast we could run it.  But Life... It happens.  It's full and beautiful and chaotic and... we found ourselves really enjoying our summer and skipping the hard track and tempo workouts to be with Our People.

With our Elizabeth Chambers Cellar teammate Sunny

The Long Road to The Boston Marathon

By Tanya

Well, it's been quite a while since you've heard from me. My last post was almost a year ago when I fulfilled my dream of getting a BQ (Boston Marathon Qualifying time) at the Vernonia Marathon last April.

I felt really good about my race and some "signs" had pointed to me getting in this year such as seeing Shalane Flanagan on my first marathon training run as well as at an author talk for her new book Run Fast. Eat Slow. She autographed my book and wrote "Hope to see you in Boston." (So cool! I'm a total fan!) 

I qualified with a time three minutes and forty-five seconds faster than what I needed for my age group, but it still put me in the last qualifying lottery registration group.  I was left hanging as to whether I would actually get in or not because marathon officials have been reducing the qualifying times each year due to increasing interest in the race and the amount of people qualifying.

It Feels Hard Cause it Is Hard: Cascade Lakes Relay 2016 Team No Expectations

by Jodi

Team No Expectations

Cascade Lakes Relay is something I look forward to all year. I can't explain why it's FUN because on most levels it sounds awful.

Teams of twelve run 216.6 miles - all at elevation through extreme heat, up and over mountains, from Diamond Lake to Bend. Participants sleep little (if at all), share a van with five other sweaty, smelly people, and run three different times over the course of 30+ hours, including through the middle of the night. Sounds fun right?  #not

But I love everything about this race. The land we traverse (in my opinion) is some of Oregon's finest. It's rugged and remote, vast and beautiful. It's hard to really absorb all the beauty and the constantly changing terrain. Much of the course is run on trails or dirt/gravel roads. Every single leg is run at elevation. For those of us Valley Dwellers, the elevation just complicates an already tough course.  

It's the fierceness of this course that I love. You can't approach it half-hazardly. You have to train. You have to respect the mountains. The heat. The elevation. You have to rely on your teammates. It feels hard, because it is hard.

Vernonia Marathon: Running To Find Rest

By Tanya

Hello, it’s me. Remember me? I used to write about running.

I had a fast and furious start to my running experience. How can I not, when I have some of the most amazing and inspiring running friends on the face of the earth? However, just as my running experience started fast and furious it also came crashing down in flames.

Why you ask? Many reasons. Mostly just because I’m me and it’s all a part of my story.

If you remember from my past posts I am an “A” type personality who always has to be busy. I like to constantly be in motion making things happen.

It took my first marathon experience 5 years ago to finally teach me I really don’t have control of anything. I had to learn to let go and take each experience for what it was. I learned to trust. Trust in God and seasons of life. Trust that every experience we have good or bad shapes who we are. And trust that God made each and every one of us to be unique and to live for our unique purpose. I was made to run my own race.

Vernonia Marathon 2016: When a Dream Becomes Reality

by Jodi

HOLY SMOKES!  A PR I NEVER expected or dreamed of.

On Sunday I ran the race of my life. Shattered my previous marathon PR (3:31:43) and ran myself to a 3:18:57 first place finish at the Vernonia Marathon. What a difference from two years ago when I fell apart on that course. I chased two fast, fit women up and down that trail for more than 20 miles.  They inadvertently paced me to a long time dream becoming a reality.  I still can’t believe it.

What made Vernonia 2016 even more special was the fact that a ton of my running buddies also had record breaking races.  Tanya chased down her dream of a Boston Qualfiying Marathon time. Carissa, Devon (PR) and Dawn all had top ten half marathon finishing times. There were so many things to celebrate that I thought my heart would explode with joy.

THE EVENT

A shout out to Brad Bauer and the Oregon Road Runners Club for putting on an organized, smoothly run event.  Communication pre-race was clear.  Shuttle buses were on time.  The course was well marked.  Volunteers were in place and educated on FAQ’s. Post race soup and rolls were yummy.  And you can’t beat the course: 21 miles of the point-to-point course are closed to traffic on a paved trail through the lush Oregon forests. If you haven't participated in this race, add it to your Bucket List.

Running Smart: Roaring Run Half Marathon 2016

by Jodi

Natasha, Jarae, Tanya and me (with a man behind me making my hair look like it has a big bubble) before the start.

Last weekend I traveled to Scio, Oregon, with three of my running buddies, to race in the Roaring Run half marathon. It was one of those rare days where our training and hard work came together in perfect harmony.  All four of us executed our race strategies to perfection and finished with two new PR's and four beautifully run races. It was epic.

The Roaring Run is a small but well organized and fun event that starts and finishes at Roaring River County Park in the country outside of Scio, Oregon. Parking is limited at Roaring River County Park so we parked at a local church and took a shuttle bus to and from the race.  It was easy peasy both directions.  Thank you Brad Bauer for coordinating such a seamless race.

The half marathon course takes runners through beautiful countryside with continuous views of the river, countryside, mountains, and even a covered bridge.  I lived in Scio for the last part of my childhood and the course goes right by one of the farms I used to work at.  Life has a way of coming full circle.

Iron Sharpens Iron - Give 'n Gobble 10k 2015

by Jodi

Pre-race.  It was cold for Oregon - in the 20's.

This fall my running buddy Dawn - who is faster than me - was training for an early January marathon.  I had a good mileage base so I joined her on several of her hard, long workouts, then signed up for a mid-December half marathon.  It gave me motivation to try to keep up with Dawn.

One week in November my track workout called for 3 x mile repeats at a 6:30 pace.  Six minute miles are NOT my jam.  I worked for years to get into the seven minute mile range and it's a RARE day when a six minute pace shows up on my Garmin. I wasn't sure I could run one mile at a 6:30, let alone three.

I immediately started talking myself out of the workout.  Then Dawn texted and asked if I wanted to run together that day.  She modified her workout to be closer to mine, but she needed her mile repeats to be at or around a 6:15 pace.

That Day I Ran with Galen Rupp: Foot Traffic Holiday Half Marathon Recap

by Jodi

Finish line photo courtesy of Devon Johnson.  #nailedit

Yesterday I raced Foot Traffic's Holiday Half Marathon and set a new PR (personal record).  I'm still trying to come down off the high.  #sograteful

I race because I like to test my fitness level, but also because it's a great way to bond with my friends.  We carpool and share pre-race jitters, then celebrate together post-race.  It is SO fun. I registered for the race thinking a couple of friends would run with me, but life got in the way.  When I realized I'd be getting up early to drive to North Portland and navigate a large crowd of runners by myself on an already crammed weekend, I almost quit on the race.

Thankfully my friend Paula talked some sense into me. All it took was two or three encouraging text messages from her to help me regain my focus and following my train through to race day.  Encouragement is a powerful weapon. We should all use it more often.

Running for Robin - Cascade Lakes Relay 2015

by Jodi

THIS ^^^ is why I run.

Cascade Lakes Relay 2015 was AH-MAZ-ING! 

I can't really explain why anyone would choose to do this. It sounds ridiculous. Run continuously for a day and a half with people you may or may not know very well. Eat poorly. Don't sleep. Shower only if you can find one. And PAY a ton of money to do it all. On paper it makes no sense. But experientially, it's the bomb. I look forward to it all year long.

starting our journey

Team No Expectations took 33 hours 27 minutes and 42 seconds to cover 216.6 miles of jaw-dropping beauty, running up and over mountains through incredible forest and plains, along rivers and through small towns. We dealt with extreme temperatures (highs over 100 degrees and lows in the 40's) and very little sleep. 

Just Enjoy It: 2015 Pacific Crest Half Marathon Race Review

by Jodi

Eight years ago, I ran my first half marathon.  I had never run more than 6 consecutive miles in my life before but I am stupidly determined at times.  The satisfaction of crossing the finish line knowing I ran EVERY step carried me into an entirely new lifestyle.  I ran a marathon three months later and haven't stopped running since.

So good to be back!

On June 27th, I came back to Sunriver, Oregon, and ran the Pacific Crest half marathon course again. Three years had passed since we'd been back to the event and I was feeling sentimental. It's good to pause for a minute and reflect.  This race literally changed my life and I was thrilled to be back on the course.  I even got to volunteer at the T-shirt table before the race.

6:00 a.m. T-shirt Table Selfie

Normally I don't pay to run a race unless I've put in the time to train for it, but this race was different.   I have been running shorter, slower distances since the marathon in the middle of May with no speed work.  I knew the distance wouldn't be a problem, but covering it quickly at race pace would be tricky, since the course is at 4,200 feet elevation and the forecast called for temps in the high 90's. Given my current fitness level, I thought I could cover the distance somewhere in the 1:38 to 1:42 range, but I was really hoping to be sub 1:40.

Ride, Row, Run : A New Racing Adventure in Maupin Oregon!

By Tanya

As you learned from my last year of posting, I have developed a passion for exercise in the water. Whether it is swimming in the pool for fitness, or in the open water for my first triathlon, riding the waves on a surf board, or rowing the rapids in my kayak, I love the water!

This has also become a family affair as all of my family has taken to the water this past year. In fact for the Fourth of July (which also happens to be my little brother's birthday) we brought a bunch of kayaks, rafts and inner tubes out to Lacamas Lake for a BBQ and a day on the water. It has become a great bonding activity we all enjoy. In fact my mom, who struggles with chronic pain from Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia, found that kayaking was a form of exercise she could really enjoy.

Family 4th of July on the water

A couple of years ago I went on a river rafting trip on the Deschutes river in Maupin Oregon, with some women from my church and it was AMAZING! Not only did we ride some sweet rapids but I also got to go body surfing through them, as well as jump from a twenty foot cliff into the river!

Run and Not Grow Weary - Willamette Valley Marathon

by Jodi

Finish line.  That's what satisfaction looks like.

Last year I raced in the augural running of the Keizer Iris Festival Marathon. I wanted to duplicate it this year so I marked my calendar for May 17th and reset my Run Less Run Faster (RLRF) Training Program app, but my training never really got past that point.

THE EVENT

There are several things I love about the newly renamed Willamette Valley Marathon.

• The beautiful course showcases the Willamette Valley.  22 miles of the 26.2 mile course are through idyllic, rolling farmland.  The Cascade Range to the east and the Coast Range to the west hem in this little piece of paradise. 
• With the exception of three, short, steep hills (64 feet, 89 feet, and 71 feet of elevation), this course is flat or gently rolling.  It's the perfect mix of easy and challenging.
• Small races are quaint.  It's easy to find your loved ones on the course and make new friends.  Runners who go unnoticed in big races get some time in the spotlight in smaller races. 
• AFFORDABLE!  At $60 this full marathon is cheaper than most half marathons I've run.
• The DJ at the finish line got me dancing in the finish area after running a marathon.  There's something to be said about that! I hope he's working the race again next year.

Two Local 10K's - Two Unofficial PR's

by Jodi

Hello Friends.  I know it's been FOREVER since we've written, but we are still exercising.  We're all still friends. We're all still busy moms and wives.  It makes for little time to write, but we miss you!

Up until this spring I have only raced one 10k - Pints to Pasta with Carissa in September 2012.  We had a blast.  I'm not sure why we never raced another one.

copyright Jodi Stilp Photography LLC
www.jodistilpphotography.com

In March I had a photography client ask to do a photo shoot at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn.  I went to the website to get information on their hours and stumbled upon the inaugural running of a 5k/10k at the farm - Tulip Trail Run. It was a fundraiser for Oregon City Cross Country and Portland Running Company was timing the event.  On a whim, I registered and ran the race two days later.

Vancouver Lake Half Marathon - A New PR Thanks to Negative Splits

by Jodi

On January 25th I got to run the Vancouver Lake half marathon with not one, not two, but with FOUR of my friends.  How fun is that?  Dawn, Ruth, Natasha, and I all enjoyed carpooling to the race, meeting up with Hillary at the start, and sharing the race experience together both on the course and the ride home.

I had no expectations going into this race. Ruth forwarded the Vancouver Lake Half Marathon registration link to a crew of other Newberg runners in mid-November.  Her email promised a fun, fast, and flat race and warned that it sold out quickly.  Since it was cheap and close, I signed up the same day then promptly forgot about it.

I ran a lot in December.  138 miles to be exact, but most of these miles were slower miles with friends. In early January I remembered the Vancouver Lake half marathon and checked my Run Less Run Faster (RLRF) training plan to see what I was supposed to be running if I had been "officially" training for the race.  I did two long runs at the prescribed pace and distance, managed one tempo run, and completely avoided the track.  Based on my unfocused training, I thought I might be able to run around a 1:40 finish time.

Two days before the race, I drove to Cottage Grove and did an 8 mile trail run with Raina.  We called it "trail tapering," and I'm pretty sure it's not recommended in training plans two days before a race.

The day before the race I had a blonde moment and suggested to my husband that we take the family to the beach the next day since it was supposed to be foggy in Newberg.  He looked at me and asked, "Ummm... don't you  have a race?"  RIGHT!  Yes.  Yes I do.

Race morning dawned and my stomach was upset.  This is not uncommon for me on race mornings, but it persisted longer than usual and I approached the start feeling depleted and void of my normal race day energy.

Ruth, Dawn, Natasha, Hillary and I took the obligatory pre-race selfie at the start.

SELFIE!  Note the customized bibs.  Dawn was super pumped about having her name on a bib.

When the gun went off we fell into groups.  Hillary was ahead of us the entire time - racing herself to a new half marathon PR and a 9th place overall finish with a 1:33:16 finish time!  Since this race had quite a few out-and-back portions we got to see her gracefully and beautifully tearing up the course.  Hillary makes running look easy and beautiful.  I'm not sure if she even sweats.  You go Girl!

Look at her go.  Photo credits to Mike McKinney 

Dawn and I were the next group, with Ruth and Natasha a few minutes behind us.  Dawn is a much faster runner than I am, but she was in the same boat as I was.  She hadn't trained specifically for this race and had no idea what to expect from her body.  We agreed to start off slow and increase our pace around mile nine if we felt we could tolerate it.

The first mile felt long and slow - not a good indication.  I checked my watch three times before it beeped the first mile.  Dawn and I were eerily consistent with our pace. The miles clicked by: 7:33, 7:33, 7:34, and 7:30 for the first four miles.  When we passed Natasha and Ruth on the first out-and-back they told us we were in 22nd and 23rd place for the women.  It gave us something to think about as we ran toward the half-way point and another turnaround.

We were running through a beautiful area but couldn't see any of it because the fog was so thick.  I was keeping the pace, but couldn't find my running mojo.  The first six miles of this race felt like a long, hard training run. I told Dawn around mile three, "This is definitely not a PR kind of day for me.  I'll be lucky to break 1:40."
 
Dawn ignored me and increased our speed for miles five and six: 7:24, 7:27.  My first thought was, "I can't run this pace.  There's way too much race ahead and I'm not mentally in this.  I'm tired and this is hard.  I don't want to suffer."

But as soon as that thought ran through my brain a question followed.

"Why not?"

My legs weren't tired, just heavy.  My lungs were tolerating the pace well since there were no hills.  There was no physical reason why I couldn't run a faster pace.

Then the Holy Spirit gave me a little nudge with this reminder, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (from Paul's letter to the church at Philippi)

I thought of my non-biological brother Jon who is in the process of kicking cancer's butt.  He's a runner, but isn't strong enough yet to start racing again.  But I can.

So I did.

Every couple of miles, Dawn increased our speed.  Each time we stepped it up a notch, I went through the same mental battle.  "I can't do this.  Why not?  Just run.  You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.  Do it for Jon."  Then repeat.

Miles seven and eight were 7:11 and 7:10.  I had finally found my Zone.  I was ALL IN this race.

And then Dawn dropped the hammer.  Mile nine was a sub-seven.  When my watched beeped 6:59, I freaked out.  I NEVER run that fast, especially not with four miles left to run in a race.  So we slowed down.  By three seconds per mile.

I told Dawn to go ahead and leave me in the dust, but she lied promised she was happy with our pace.  Dawn stuck with me and we ran at the edge of my ability, as fast as I could without wheezing.

Mile ten and eleven clocked in at 7:02 and 7:04.  I happened to notice that our average pace per mile had dropped down to 7:18's and I told Dawn, "Oh my gosh.  I might PR.  The pace we're running will give me a PR if we hold it to the end."

With each mile we caught up to and passed more women.  We saw Ruth and Natasha at the last out-and-back and Natasha hollered, "Pick it up.  They're right in front of you." 

My body said, "NO WAY!" but my mind said, "Why not?"   So we did.

Mile 12 we slowed to a 7:14 but still managed to pick off the three women Natasha was referring to.

With one mile left in the race, Dawn's legs were tiring and my lungs were burning.  It was harder and harder to keep our pace.  We grunted to each other, "We've got this.  We can do it.  Almost there."

I thought about Jon.  About how my body was doing what my mind told it to do.  About the PR that was dangling in front of me.  About the fact that God was enabling me to run much faster than I thought possible.

It was a LONG mile, but we ran it at a 7:09 pace. This photo from the race photographer captures how we really felt at that point. We even managed to pick off the lady in orange before the finish.

.1 to go.  Photo credits to Mike McKinney

With the finish line in sight, we looked at each other and I said, "C'mon Dawn.  Let's do this."  Hillary cheered us in as we sprinted through the finish. Dawn's official time of 1:36:09 put her in 1st place for our age division and 13th overall.  My official finish time of 1:36:11 gave me a new personal record by thirteen seconds, 2nd in our age division, and 14th overall.  I'll take it.

Thanks Hillary for cheering us into the finish! 

Ruth and Natasha ran well too, finishing under 1:45.  When the final race results were in, all of us won a beer mug for placing in our age divisions.

Ruth, Natasha, Dawn, and me

So many things about this race were unexpected blessings.  Running the entire race with Dawn when neither of us planned to do that was cool.  Because the course was so odd, we got to pass and cheer for our friends three different times. Running another race with negative splits was oh-so satisfying. I was able to manage my breathing/wheezing during the race.  Post-race recovery was a bit sketchy for the first five minutes, but once I was breathing normally again I was fine.  I can still run and I view that as a giant gift from God.

Dawn and I have logged a lot of miles together in the past nine months.

I give Dawn all the credit for pacing us.  She has been running for years and is a wealth of knowledge. It was so fun to pound the pavement with her in a race setting and glean from her experience.

My race by the splits.  Taken from my exercise journal.

Vancouver Lake half marathon solidified in my mind that negative splits are the way to go EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!  I told myself I wouldn't run a spring marathon this year, but now that I have my Running Mojo back, I'm researching my options.  Oh runners...  We're a crazy breed.

What about you Sole Sisters.  Have you run negative splits?  Gone out too fast?  Do you think it made a difference in your finish time or the way you felt about the race?  We'd love to hear your stories.

Portland's Mustache Dache - Dragging Out the Birthday Celebration

by Jodi

Post-race celebration

My 40th birthday party spanned an entire week culminating with Portland's second annual Mustache Dache 5k race on Saturday, November 15th. The Mustache Dache is "a slightly irreverent 5k" geared toward helping "Movember, the global men's health charity, combat prostate and testicular cancer."

Last year a big group of my friends from Newberg formed the Femmestache Fatales team and participated in the inaugural running of this race.  It was so fun we decided to do it again.  We ended up with a team of about twenty ladies willing to don a fake mustache and brave this super hilly course.

It's Just Not That Important: Bridge of the Goddess 2014 Race Review

by Jodi Wheezy

On Saturday Carissa and I raced together again for the first time since February.  It was such a treat to spend a full morning together.  Our current life seasons are difficult to grab time together, making those moments when we actually see each other in person really sweet.

Actually I saw Carissa more last week than I have in the past six months combined.  I called it Carissa Fest 2014.  We celebrated her birthday on Wednesday with a yummy lunch.

The start of Carissa Fest 2014.  Me.  Kim.  Carissa.  There's Tanya our other Sole Sister.  And Devon - who writes her own running blog.

beautiful birthday girl

Volunteered at packet pickup on Thursday.  It was fun to meet new friends, chat with other excited runners, and get matching Goddess t-shirts to wear on race day.

#twinsies at packet pickup

We skipped our traditional Night Before the Race Sleepover on Friday due to scheduling logistics, but hooked up bright and early (6 a.m.) in Portland on Saturday morning to head out to the race. (You do not want to see first thing in the morning photos of me).

THE EVENT
The Bridge of the Goddess Half Marathon and 10k is a Run With Paula event that debuted this year.  It was SUPER fun to be a part of the inaugural running of a race that will definitely become a much anticipated annual event in the Portland running community.

I know we've said this before but it bears repeating.  EVERY.SINGLE.EVENT that Paula Harkin puts on is top notch.  She's a runner so she creates, tweaks, and organizes her races to be the kind of event she would want to run.  The pre-race communication was thorough and addressed all the typical questions runners have, but it was also warm and inviting.  I felt like I got a hug by the time I finished reading each email.

The Bridge of the Goddess was designed for women (although a handful of brave men ran too).  Participants got awesome reusable Bridge of the Goddess cinch sack goodie bags filled with really cool stuff: a pretty race shirt and a necklace, a coupon for a free fashion photo shoot, Peets coffee coupon, a Luna bar, etc. Every woman who crosses the finish line is celebrated regardless of how fast or slow she got there.  The finishers medals were beautiful and feminine.  It's these little touches that make women flock to Run with Paula events.

THE COURSE
You don't run the Bridge of the Goddess race for a PR.  You run it because it's the most scenic half marathon course ever.  The race starts on the Bridge of the Gods (AH-MAZING!) and transitions to the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail.  It's an out-and-back course that finishes at Marine Park in the Port of Cascade Locks.  The trail winds through thick lush forest, a tunnel, a giant flight of stairs (yes stairs in a race), and offers an unobstructed view of the Columbia River Gorge.

Every part of this challenging course was rolling hills with five significant climbs.  Thankfully the grade of the hills was manageable, with the exception of a few spots that were short and steep.  I trained on hills to prepare for this race and I was still surprised by how challenging it was to maintain a race pace on one climb after another.

Total elevation gain: 1,171 feet.  Total elevation loss: 1,262 feet.

TRAINING
An over-arching theme that God is teaching me this year is to hold everything loosely. Some stuff is just not that important.   The "Just Not That Important" for me lately has been my running pace.  I am learning to listen to my body, make adjustments, and not let a certain pace define my success as a runner.

I only trained specifically for this event for six weeks using the Run Less Run Faster (RLRF) app on my iPhone.  My Keizer Marathon finish time projected a half marathon pace per mile of 7:35.  It seemed pretty lofty for such a hilly course.

When I added speed and tempo work back into my training, the sporadic breathing issues I've had all summer became more consistent. Sprinting and hill climbing were the biggest culprits. Heavily labored breathing and wheezing became a part of every track workout and most tempo runs, making it tough to hit my target paces. I frequently had to make adjustments mid-run to accommodate what my legs and lungs were offering on that specific workout.  Post-run recovery was tougher than normal too.

I went into race morning knowing my legs were prepped to cover the distance.  My lungs are out of my control, so I decided not to stress about it.  Based on my training I figured I should be able to finish in 1:45 even if my lungs didn't cooperate. I really wanted to stay under 1:40 but had no idea if that was possible. My goal was to give 100% of what my body offered me on race day and run based on effort and not pace.  

I took this picture during Hood to Coast 2011 and just rediscovered it.

THE RACE

before the race - isn't it lovely?

The weather in Oregon has been unseasonably dry and hot.  It was 63 degrees at the start of the race, but since the course was mostly shaded it didn't really heat up for a few hours.  It was fun to start on the Bridge of the Gods, especially because it's a metal grate so you can look down through the grate to the water WAY below.

looking down through the grate on the bridge - we weren't far enough back to see water.

Pirated this picture from Paula's Instagram page.

I gambled and wore new shoes on race day.  It was a gamble that paid off.  I appreciated the lightweight racing shoes when I was climbing all those hills.  What a relief!  

twinsies on race day 

The Historic Columbia River Highway Trail was epic.  The Gorge is one of my favorite places in Oregon and it was surreal to run a race through it. I'm thankful that I took the time to look around me and really enjoy the view as I ran.  (I did NOT stop to take pictures though).

The hills were tougher than I expected - and never ending.  When we turned around at the halfway mark we were met with a stiff headwind.  It greeted us in every exposed part of the race, especially in the last mile to the finish, making it tough to maintain race pace.

I have spent years chasing Carissa, if I'm lucky enough to be close enough to have her in my sights.  But she's been feeling consistently cruddy and Saturday was just another day of running with fatigue and dizziness for her.  (Don't worry - she's on it with some medical professionals).  Her grit and determination in the face of tough circumstances inspire me on a daily basis.

We started the race together and were soon in the lead pack of about fifteen women.  I passed Carissa on the first downhill which was not surprising since I love the downhill and she's a better climber.  Carissa stayed behind me - within about twenty seconds- for the next seven miles.

On the second descent I passed a runner from the Portland Running Company race team.  She passed me on the third climb.  After the turnaround, we chatted enough to exchange names.  Her name is Lynsay and she has the gift of encouragement.  The first thing she said to me was, "Nice pace.  This is a tough course."  

We ran the rest of the race together.  I led on the downhills.  Lynsay led on the climbs.  At mile seven Carissa caught up to us.  The three of us formed a little group and ran the rest of the race within sight of each other.  It was such a treat to have other ladies on the course racing hard.  Had I been alone on the trail I definitely would have slowed down.  Knowing they were there kept me accountable to keep running strong.

The fourth climb was the longest and the steepest.  My lungs were burning and I started wheezing pretty badly. (Don't worry.  I'm on it with a plan to better breathing).  Carissa caught up to me and passed me.  She said over her shoulder, "You need to get that checked out," then stopped to walk briefly because she was feeling dizzy.  What a pair we are.  Just call us Wheezy and Dizzy.  Carissa assured me she was fine (I think she was lying) so I kept wheezing my way to the top of the hill.

Lynsay pulled ahead of me and I couldn't recover my breathing fast enough to charge the downhill like I had been.  It looked like she was pulling away for good but I got a burst of energy and was able to catch her at the summit of the last big hill.

With a stiff headwind blowing us backward, we tackled the last mile.   I was in front with Lynsay one stride behind me.  At this point we were running on the sidewalk through town to get to Marine Park.  We took turns hollering, "On your left" so we could cut through the crowd of 10k walkers that were also approaching the finish.

So it's a screen shot from EP Events website, but you can see how close Lynsay and I were running the whole second half of the race.

I kicked too hard too soon. Running downhill shouldn't be hard, but it was.  My legs were burning.  My lungs hurt. I told Lynsay that I was dying and she should go ahead.  Instead of passing me she said, "Nope.  We've got this.  It's all downhill to the park.  Just run."

So we did, forging our way single file through the crowd toward the finish line.   The last tenth of a mile was on grass through the park and was wide open.  It was Lynsay's chance to fly past me and I fully expected her to.  But instead she yelled, "Go get it Jodi."  

Seriously?  Who does that?  My new friend.  That's who!

I sprinted as hard as I could to the finish line.  Lynsay was one second behind me.  We hugged and cheered as Carissa came charging in 21 seconds later.

When the final results were in, we found out that we finished the race in 8th, 9th, and 10th place overall!  And we were all in the same age division (at least for another month) so we took 3rd, 4th, and 5th in our age division.  I NEVER would have guessed that would be the outcome of our race when it started.

Lynsay's selfless act of kindness gave me a podium position.  It was a first for me and super fun to climb up on the box and pose so Carissa could take my picture.  Such a little thing, but it was fun.

3rd place age division

The Bridge of the Goddess race confirmed to me what is important.  I am so thankful for the ability to run, even with wheezy lungs.  I am thankful for a beautiful place to live and play.  Most of all, I am thankful for friendship - new and old.

Thank you Carissa and Lynsay for making this a race that I will remember and celebrate for a long time to come.  And thank you Paula for another awesome event.  I'm already looking forward to next year.


BY THE NUMBERS
Carissa ran naked - no Garmin for her.  It was a first for her in a race, but she wanted to hold herself accountable to run by effort and not pace so she left her Garmin at home.  Finish time: 1:39:10 - 7:34 average pace - and that's feeling dizzy!  Another impressive run in the books.  Nice work Sole Sister.

Here's my race by the numbers.  Finish time: 1:38:49 - 7:32 average pace.  Right on the money for my 7:35 pace that I trained for.  The more I use RLRF, the more I like it.

SPLIT	TIME
Mile 1	7:15
Mile 2	7:56
Mile 3	7:10
Mile 4	7:17
Mile 5	7:21
Mile 6	7:22
Mile 7	7:12
Mile 8	7:18
Mile 9	7:31
Mile 10	7:52
Mile 11	7:54
Mile 12	7:17
Mile 13	7:10
Mile 14 (.35 miles - my watched measured the course long)	7:15

Thank God Almighty, I Ran From Hood to Coast!

By Tanya

One week ago I ran the mother of all relay races. Our team of twelve known as "Robin From the Hood and Her Coastal Van of Misfits" climbed in two vans and ran 196 miles from the top of Mt. Hood to Seaside at the Oregon coast! It all happened so fast that it still doesn't seem real.

Hood to Coast is a big deal around these parts. Relay races seem to be popping up all over the place, but H2C was the first around here. Growing up in Portland which falls exactly in the middle of the course, and spending many childhood vacations at either Mt Hood or Seaside, I knew that if I was ever able to run a relay race, it would have to be the H2C.

No Expectations - Cascade Lakes Relay 2014

by Jodi

Team No Expectations starting the drive to Southern Oregon

Van 1 at the start on Diamond Lake.  Not excited at all... 

Well I can officially cross that one off the bucket list!  The Cascade Lakes Relay did not disappoint.  It was everything I hoped it would be and a bag of chips.  Well maybe not the bag of chips, but we did win a case of beer.

Hood to Coast 2011 was my first relay experience.  There were totally epic moments and lifetime memories were made, but overall it felt too big and too congested.  I'd heard the Cascade Lakes Relay (CLR), set in Southern and Central Oregon, was smaller, more scenic, and more challenging.  Plus it covered terrain I've always wanted to visit.  What better way to see an area than to run through it?  I added CLR to my Bucket List.