Voyageur 2017
With two weeks of unintentional tapering post hospital mixed in with recovering from the visit, I was ready to reignite my love for the trails, especially after seeing my friends run Eugene Curnow. I had planned to run it but everyone I talked to about it said I shouldn't. As sad I was about that, everything happens for a reason. I'm glad I listened to them.
Friday evening before Voyageur I didn't have my usual pre-race anxiousness, I was just happy. Happy to be back, healthy, and seeing my friends again. I hadn't run an ultra since Zumbro, and in all honesty, haven't put in many miles or dedicated training since, but didn't realize it until I was contemplating my running with nothing to do in a hospital bed for a week. We stopped at our usual/favorite Duluth eatery, then headed up to Two Harbors to stay at our AirBnB, which was a trailer dubbed with the name 'Wolf Pup'. It was cozy and welcoming, but not suited for a tall person to shower in (Long made the comment that it was smaller than an airplane bathroom, but we survived!). We got our gear ready, packed our shared drop bins (which we thought would be smart since the bins were big enough for both our things). Talked a bit, had a night cap (or 2-3) of Sake, and went to bed.
3:30 a.m. Breakfast, last-minute packing including toiletries (no way was I getting back in cold 'n' tiny shower!). Long made coffee and a quesadilla (which set off the smoke alarm) and I stuck to a low maintenance breakfast of cereal and a tiny almond butter and honey sandwich. I had a cold press coffee I packed, along with all my gear, ready to go. We headed out around 4, since it was about an hour or less drive to the start. Long asked if I could pray that he wouldn't get any cramps today, without any hesitation, I did. He also made some sort of comment about us being so calm and how we are probably used to races by now. I told him no way! I was excited and nervous. Excited to see everyone again out on one of my favorite trails/races, but also nervous because A. I had not run an ultra since April and B. Most of all, I was severely undertrained. I had expressed my feelings of being undertrained to Alex, and she simply said to have fun, and that some of her best races were ones where she was undertrained, and it could surprise me! Knowing that her current situation could be looked at as dim, she was so positive. I needed that, and I filed that under 'Remember for Voyageur'.
We arrived at the High School for check-in, and I was happy to have my hoodie on. It was a chilly morning, but we all knew it wouldn't feel this way all day. We grabbed our packets and did last minute gear check. I decided not to bring my phone this year, because I only used it last year to constantly check the time between miles 30-40.. which I could have easily changed my watch settings but didn't figure out how to do until months later. What a dweeb! We chatted with friends, said hello to our favorite 'dingo' Raleigh, and soon enough the race was off after the RD announced all the Voyaguer Veterans and all their finishes. It is so inspiring to see this, hoping that someday, especially for this race, that I too will be one of those veterans.
A count down happened quickly and we were off. I knew familiar faces as they passed, and some stuck with me in the beginning. I ran with Dawn for a bit, I was happy to see her. She was supposed to volunteer, but wanted to run instead. She had been out of love with running, and was happy to be out on the trail. I was happy for her, and happy her love was reignited. Soon enough we were on the bottleneck portion of the trail. This is the section of Jay Cooke State park filled with roots, rocks, and more rocks, steep ups and downs, and 300+ runners all trying to get though about 3+ miles of trails. I like to compare this beginning section to rush hour traffic. Some runners more frustrated than others to get by, and some of the newer runners asked if the run would be like this the whole time, and reassured one that it definitely thins out after the first aid station. I managed to wiggle by some people in this beginning section, as I always remember "run the flats, hike uphill, and bomb the downhills'. There I went flying as much as I could down the hills. Before I reached the swinging bridge, a woman ran to my side and said, "You have amazing downhill technique, it was so relaxing watching your feet!"I felt on top of the world! I told her I couldn't take all the credit, as I have been watching Long's feet for close to two years now float downhills like he was on an invisible mountain bike. We chatted for a bit, and this was her first Voyageur! I always feel like a welcoming committee member, and let her know she was going to LOVE it and that this is a race I want to come back to every year! Her family was crewing her which I also reassured her is the best! I instantly remembered my parents and that this day was their 29th (golden!) anniversary. I noted to dedicate the 29th mile to them, and to say a prayer for how happy and blessed I am that they have been together through mountains and valleys, and that this day was a joyous celebration and reminder of their love and dedication to each other and how they, to this day, selflessly and lovingly pour themselves into our family. God, I love my parents!
I left the second aid station with ginger ale in my belly, and a small cup of gummy bears in my hand. I couldn't help smiling like a kid who got what they wanted at the candy store.
By mile 6, I knew I was in... trouble? No, not trouble, but I did know I was undertrained, but I felt good. The breathing was heavy, the heart rate was high, but I felt surprisingly good. This was also the time I decided to name my left knee Casandra so I could tell it nice things and that I would not scrape her up again: no falling. By the second aid station, I had one of the volunteers compliment my skirt. Two compliments in the morning? I'll take it!
Mile 7: "Hey! How are you doing?! Remember me? We finished together last year!" Yes! I recognized him, he helped push me at the end, and was grateful for that. We caught up from everything that happened since last year, and he attempted Superior 100, and was going to give it another go this year. He told me he had only been running with no races, but let me tell you we didn't talk for long because his training was paying off! After we caught up on everything to this race, he was off! It made me think of last year's Voyageur until now. Yes, I had gotten stronger over that year (both mentally and physically) but for this race, I was definitely undertrained. I had to mentally remind myself what Alex told me.
One of the best things about this race was how close together the aid station are! It is a blessing to have so many volunteers at this race that can run them, and on top of that, they are the most helpful and friendly! I was in and out of aid stations so quickly, just grabbing food, that I had been forgetting to refill my bottles! I had been sipping on cups of ginger ale (my ultra vice.. well.. one of them!) and water but totally neglecting my own supply. I realized this as I left Petersons, but did remember to restock from my drop bin. I was being good about eating and everything else- I was just so focused on spending as little time at aid stations as possible. New plan. Next aid station I would refill and make sure I took the time to do that first.
I ran in front of a man and a woman who talked ultras for a while. One of them mentioned running with Jim Walmsley at so-and-so race. As seasoned as they were, they took their time on the downhills, and the runner behind me made this very clear as he muttered a 'seriously?! come on!' loud enough for them to hear but quiet enough where only they and I could hear it. I quickly said 'on your left!' as I scooted on by, and so did he. "Your shoes are so mesmerizing I almost forgot to look where I'm going! There is such a unique contract between them... I need to wake up!" he said running behind me. It made me aware that I too was a bit groggy, and also chimed in that caffeine did sound appealing. I told him I might crab a coke at the next aid station, and advised me to wait until I really needed it... after he said he as going to get some. I stopped talking to him and picked up my pace.
I realized that this race offers a lot of runnable sections. I was looking at the trail in front of me with more experienced set of eyes. Stronger, more experienced eyes. I thought about last year how if I saw the slightest incline, I would hike. I thought about how I had to conserve my energy for when I really needed it. This gave me a boost of confidence knowing I was tougher and stronger, but still had the same love and heart for this community and sport. I started a conversation with two women in front of me. I complimented one on her shorts, and soon enough I learned this was her first Voyageur! I loved meeting these first timers. This was her first 50 miler, and she was so positive and happy. We talked of other races and what we might do the rest of the year. I scooted past them and wished them a great time out on the trail.
Thought: The water crossings had extremely low water.
I saw Elizabeth directing people to the aid station. I have her a high five. She is such a genuinely happy and honest person, and also a crazy smart scientist. I ran my hand through the DSP flag as I was so happy to be at my favorite aid station. Julio gave me a big hug and helped me refill my bottles, he also complimented my doe earrings (the only person to notice!). Steve made a comment that Long was only two minutes ahead of me. My heart instantly dropped and was quickly recovered with a 'just kidding!'. I was relieved, otherwise I knew I was going way too fast! I grabbed a few pieces of fuel and headed to the power lines. As soon as I was atop the first, I was almost moved to tears, in a positive way. "Hello friends!" I said out loud. It was such a beautiful sight to see the runner, like ants, scattered and spread out on the power lines. I feel like this thought happened last year as well, "that wasn't so bad!" ... I wish I would have said the same thing on power lines round two...
The aid station before one of the water crossings was close. A little boy ran towards the runners and I and told us he had built a bridge for us to use. I picked up some fig newtons and ate one. I think I almost fell on the ground with a knockout surprise flavor. These were fruit newtons! No figs in the middle. I don't think I had ever tasted such a delicious surprise! I grabbed more and headed over the bridge the kids made. I thanked them for their ingenuity as it was super helpful. If there is one thing I have not mastered it is the water crossing. I take way too much time trying to balance, and eventually give up and splash my way through without trying to slip!
Mile 16 I knew I was undertrained, this is where it settled in and it was taking more of a physical toll. My right calf decided to tighten up and become a rock. Yikes! I had never felt a pain like this running. It felt okay during uphill climbs, but any time I started running...pain!
A distant cowbell was ringing, I saw Willow dancing and cheering for me! I loved seeing her. She is always so cheerful and positive. This aid station was mostly Upper Midwest Trail Runner members. I said hi to Amy and we chatted. She got me ice for my shirt and hat. They asked me how I was and only responded with "hot". They reassured me I looked great, butI finally started to realize what Erik meant when he said he felt 'internally violated' from his time at Black Hills the following year. I had some fuel and a volunteer asked me if I was Michelle. She had mentioned she knew of me from my pervious workplace, and told me that one of my former coworkers Conor says hi. This made me smile as I knew how much my previous colleagues mean to me. When I was out of the hospital, they sent me a stuffed puppy and a card through one of the greatest friends I met though work, Jess.
Comparison is the thief of joy, yes, but I couldn't help thinking about how different this year was from last year. I thought about how I ran with Kari, and how happy I was to be next to a friend and a trail badass. This year I was 'roughing it' solo. Still, I was having fun, which was my only goal of Voyageur 2017. Remember what Alex said, I might surprise myself!
I started to notice that I had been behind a woman for quite some distance at this point. I complimented her shorts (there were many fashion forward runners out there! I don't mean to make repeat compliments!). We got to talking, and again, this was her first Voyageur., but she was a seasoned, experienced runner. She had run 67 100 mile races, ran across a few states, and placed first 4x in a 100 miler out in Tennessee until this year (?) the title was taken from her. I was instantly blown away. She mentioned that she always tells herself that she is going to retire but couldn't seem to get to that point. I was starry-eyed. I hope I am like her when I am older, determined for more, determined to never quit (but the balance between that and not getting addicted, because there's a line somewhere).
We leap-frogged each other for the remainder of the race. I also did this with Cory and a few other people.
I pulled in to Skyline after tackling some rolling ski trail hills. I saw the inflatable airplanes and smiled. I loved the fact that they made this fun. I saw Todd and then someone approached me. "Are you Michelle?" It was Liz! We had never met in person, and here we were! Happy to help me with refilling my bottles.
Climb up to Skyline. This was a lot of uphill. The view of Duluth from Spirit Mtn. was amazing. I hadn't seen Long yet. I was starting to get a bit worried. He said he would see me here. He's always right. He even helped me pick out my outfit the night before and it is perfect! Where is he?
Thought: I watched the people ride the alpine slide on a beautiful Saturday morning. "This must be how people have fun on a weekend, some people decide to run 50 miles in late July."
I saw Kate first, she is such a strong runner, and a positive one. She makes ultras look effortless. We had a quick exchange. Where was Long? I kept looking for his outfit. Nope, not yet.
Soon enough, Long came in to view. We recognized each other for a distance as we each picked up our pace with arms extended, reaching for a hug. Here was the pick-me-up I needed. We asked each other how we were doing, gave each other encouraging words, and we were both off in our separate ways. I told him I'd see him at the finish line, which almost seemed like an eternity in my mind (again, remembering how last year mile 30-40 felt like it took a day).
I felt so much better after seeing him, I picked up my pace, knowing if I went faster that meant I could see him sooner again rather than later. Who else haven't I seen yet? Kari, Erik, Wendi. I kept thinking I saw people who looked like Kari, and almost reaching in for a hug, but stopped myself in time before I realized it. A few minutes later, it was her! She told me she recognized my run and that's how she knew it was me. It's true, everyone has their signature gait per say. I gave her a big hug, we stopped and talked for a hot second (emphasis on the hot!). She looked great! With her track record of badassery and ultras, every year she got stronger and the smile on her face was bigger! Soon enough we parted ways, time to get to the turnaround! I saw Erik and Wendi running together with two other runners. We had a quick exchange. Where's that turnaround!?
Finally! I was here, and I was hot. The heat didn't truly bother me until this point, because now it was officially the afternoon. I refueled, hung around for a lot longer than I should have as I took off my vest because at times it made me feel claustrophobic in a way that I couldn't fully breathe in and out. More ice in the hat and the shirt, asked for some paper towels as I thought I needed to go to the bathroom any second now (my stomach really messes with my head, I was just really bloated from the heat). Time to go back to the start. I thought about all the people I got to see along the way again, it made me happy.
Back to skyline, I told Todd that my stomach was giving me issues and that my calves (both of them at this point) were now un-cooperating rocks. He handed me a cup of ginger ale, and then another after that one settled. Surprisingly, the effect took place right away. He tried handing me a third cup, but two was my limit. I thanked him for his help, and I was off. I love the 'trail burps' I have after having carbonation. A large suburban drove by and a cowbell was ringing out the window. This cowbell is the most distinctive of all cowbells- it was Rhende cheering me on outside her car window. She always makes me smile, one of the most gentle, caring, kind, patient women I know. Always full of love and joy.
The 29th mile, This mile is dedicated to my parents. 29 years of marriage on the 29th of July. I said a prayer of gratitude and appreciation. I am so fortunate to have them as parents, I have been incredibly blessed by them. Their impact of selflessness, care, and love extend far beyond our immediate family. I am thankful that even after 29 years of hills and valleys, their commitment hasn't changed, it has only gotten stronger. As this happened I couldn't help but hold back tears (I'm teary writing this!).
Comparison is the thief of joy, yes. However, there's a flip side to this. I was thinking about 2016 Voyageur- my second 50 miler and 3rd ultra. I was trained for it, but still new to this whole trail running/ running in general. As trained as I was, I ran it smart- not fast, not hard. Miles 30-40 felt like they flew by! Last year I was trying to figure out who in the world slowed down those miles. I was in some sort of slow-motion time warp. I knew that I was stronger, which is a positive. That's why the miles were flying by (or so it seemed), but, again, very undertrained. That fact is unavoidable.
From the miles of 30-50, I leap-frogged quite a few people. Chris, Corey (her first 50 miler/new trail running friend I made/wearer of awesome shorts), seasoned badass woman (also wearer of awesome shorts), and some other woman who did an ultra in New York. At one point, I passed Chris, said something to him, and about .10 miles ahead of him, I was running at a slight incline. My foot caught something and I recovered in time to not eat the trail. "Pick up your damn feet" Chris said behind me. That almost-fall I had really caught me off guard. "Yes sir!" I replied, and I waited for him to pass me because I needed to watch some fresh feet in front of me. He pulled me for quite some time as I watched his footing. He was so consistent and great at picking up his feet. During these miles I went in waves of bursts of energy to needing to hike a bit. I started noticing a strange pain in my right foot, like a hot, burning, painful blister was rapidly forming. Every step elevated the pain. Yikes!
I saw Corey hiking it out, she got a pretty bad side stitch. I offered words of encouragement and told her she was doing great for her first 50 miler! I think this is when I started to realize how damn hot it actually was. The power lines even proved this point more.
Aid station under the bridge (not sure the sequence of events is correct at this point. A spectator saw me roll in to the aid station. "You only have about 13 more miles to go!" she told me. She made it seem like it was nothing, like what she said was a positive thing. Usually I can brush off things people say I don't want to hear, but my tired instinct was a death glare. I think she noticed I wasn't happy with what she said, then she added, "It's really not that much! It may seem like it but it's not." Lady, here are some strong words of advice: Do NOT tell someone mileage, or how much there is left, unless a runner asks you. I'm usually not a peeved person, but when it comes to running, NEVER say "almost there" or "you only have (insert mileage here) left!" Unless I ask, then that's only. Otherwise, cue death stare.
"Oh it's you again". I was preparing mentally to face round No. 2 of the power lines. The thought I had earlier this morning about how it wasn't so bad was gone. As I was climbing up one of the climbs, I passed a runner. "I don't know about you, but I'm at the f*** this shit stage." I almost started laughing, but I knew this guy wasn't joking around. One of the best pieces of advice Long had given me about ultras is to get away from negative people as quickly as possible. Even at the most grueling part of Voyageur, I knew I had to climb harder. Up I went, avoiding the negative guy. Towards the end of the power lines section, I could hear distant cheering. I was so close to the DSP aid station. Yes! Kevin was there taking pictures and Mark kept giving me 'surprises' (cold dumps of water on my back). They helped me refill bottles, put more ice in my shirt and hat, and off I went. I told Julio I was feeling hot, and I think he could sense that I was starting to feel just the slightest bit of defeat (no pun intended). He said he would run with me, and so he did. I was concerned at first that someone would call me out as having a pacer, but really, he wanted to take pictures of me to show Long how badass I was. Julio talked to me for about a mile or so, telling me many times how proud he is of me, and I told him I adapted some of the Zumbro techniques we used at night to run up the long, incline section. He stopped at about a mile and turned around after a few pictures and words. He cheered for me as he ran back. I have him and some friends to thank that not only got me in to this community, but time and time again pull me through these events.
More energy spurts, some hiking, some thinking about what in the world I would be hungry for afterwards. A big ol' burger? That sounded hot and fatty.. nope. Check that off the list. Is Long sleeping? What time will I get to the finish? Will I even make the cutoff time? Stop over-thinking this! Well, you're good at it, but do that later, focus on getting from aid station to aid station, drink and eat still, you still need fuel to finish, and it's damn hot. You got this!
I got to the aid station after the river crossing, as I was unscrewing my cap to my bottle, the cap fell in the dirt (gross). I cleaned it off as best I could and tried to put it back on. Not working. I looked at the cap and a rock lodged into the cranny where it needs to tighten. I asked a volunteer to wedge it out with a knife or something. This took about 5 minutes. Thank goodness for kind, patient, and willing volunteers that put up with odd requests like this. I thanked him for taking the time to do it. I lost Chris at this point, and badass ultra woman with awesome shorts. I made it a semi goal to catch him again.
Petersons. I didn't remember the people there always being in costume. Did I miss this in the morning? New shift? Anyway, I need my supplies. I searched the tarp for my bin. Where was it? I asked a volunteer if it was in the back of the open car with some drop bags loaded up ready to head back- it wasn't in there. I grabbed some AS food and decided I'd be okay (which I was but I was still upset they took it away so soon). Note: Do not share a drop bag with a faster runner, or with anyone, ever again. Back to the aid station where the woman complimented my skirt!
I needed to pee, I remember there was a port-a-potty at this aid station. I walked over to it with a handful of chips. Occupado. Decision made, chips in hand, keep going! There was Chris! Yes, keep going. There was badass woman in the distance and New York woman. I eventually caught up to all of them. One more aid station. Soon I'd be at Jay Cooke, the mecca of all toilets (visitor center... would it be open by the time I stroll in?).
The answer to my question was yes. I asked an aid station volunteer if it was. I ran to it. I walked back to the aid station and caved in to fear: the cutoff time. They all reassured me I had plenty of time. About 3 miles left to go. This was a very technical, root and rock dense trail. I remember how it felt last year to step on the unevenness of the rocks, and gritting my teeth.
On this section, I was with badass woman again. I told her I was glad to have met her. I told her she inspired me to pursue a lifetime of goals. "Nevertheless, she persisted". She responded back to me. This made me smile, she was awesome. She mentioned something about finishing before Scott Kummer, whom I happened to know of through some of my friends. I told her that I was going to try and scoot my way through this section, and that I was gonna do this. She gave me encouragement with the words, :you got this, go get 'em." I passed the woman who earlier in the day complimented my downhill technique. "I wish I had those feet now" I told her. I passed two other guys and the technical part was over.
There was another section of trail that was mostly uphill ever so slightly. Yes, this was the part in the morning we turned off on. Soon I would be on the pavement turning to the high school. This was it! Pavement hurts. The turn before the high school felt like an eternity. I mustered up everything I had to go into a faster.. run... using the word run at this point is a stretch as my calves were both un- cooperating rocks and both of my feet were no where near as nimble as this morning. I saw Li Ping and she was cheering for me before the turn. She shot Long a quick call/text letting him know I was coming. The turn! The high school! the people!
I thanked the police officer who was directing traffic for the safety of runners. I heard the cheers and cowbells grow louder in volume. Here were all the people who encouraged me, cheered for me, ran with me, and they were cheering. This community is one where we all thrive when we all succeed. Togetherness, determination, and selflessness. By the time I reached the colorful finish line, I was crying. This is the community I love. I received that precious handmade mug, I went straight into Long's arms and cried. He asked me what was wrong and I instantly said "that was hard, but it was so good!" I rested for a bit in the grass, tried to eat a banana, had some water, took a shower, and we watched the last runners come in. This is the beauty of this sport, everyone cheering for each other and helping everyone succeed. I congratulated friends of old and new- that's the beauty of this community isn't it? Making friends out on the trail while running with friends of old. This is one of my favorite races- I hope to be one of those veterans who returns year after year in to the double digits. Until next year, Voyageurs! I'll cherish the memories and these precious, handmade mugs.
I did surprise myself. I was undertrained, but I wanted this. I told myself I had one goal, and it was to have fun. Yes, it hurt a lot. Zumbro taught me to deal with pain. I had fun, all in thanks to this community who makes it enjoyable.
Friday evening before Voyageur I didn't have my usual pre-race anxiousness, I was just happy. Happy to be back, healthy, and seeing my friends again. I hadn't run an ultra since Zumbro, and in all honesty, haven't put in many miles or dedicated training since, but didn't realize it until I was contemplating my running with nothing to do in a hospital bed for a week. We stopped at our usual/favorite Duluth eatery, then headed up to Two Harbors to stay at our AirBnB, which was a trailer dubbed with the name 'Wolf Pup'. It was cozy and welcoming, but not suited for a tall person to shower in (Long made the comment that it was smaller than an airplane bathroom, but we survived!). We got our gear ready, packed our shared drop bins (which we thought would be smart since the bins were big enough for both our things). Talked a bit, had a night cap (or 2-3) of Sake, and went to bed.
3:30 a.m. Breakfast, last-minute packing including toiletries (no way was I getting back in cold 'n' tiny shower!). Long made coffee and a quesadilla (which set off the smoke alarm) and I stuck to a low maintenance breakfast of cereal and a tiny almond butter and honey sandwich. I had a cold press coffee I packed, along with all my gear, ready to go. We headed out around 4, since it was about an hour or less drive to the start. Long asked if I could pray that he wouldn't get any cramps today, without any hesitation, I did. He also made some sort of comment about us being so calm and how we are probably used to races by now. I told him no way! I was excited and nervous. Excited to see everyone again out on one of my favorite trails/races, but also nervous because A. I had not run an ultra since April and B. Most of all, I was severely undertrained. I had expressed my feelings of being undertrained to Alex, and she simply said to have fun, and that some of her best races were ones where she was undertrained, and it could surprise me! Knowing that her current situation could be looked at as dim, she was so positive. I needed that, and I filed that under 'Remember for Voyageur'.
We arrived at the High School for check-in, and I was happy to have my hoodie on. It was a chilly morning, but we all knew it wouldn't feel this way all day. We grabbed our packets and did last minute gear check. I decided not to bring my phone this year, because I only used it last year to constantly check the time between miles 30-40.. which I could have easily changed my watch settings but didn't figure out how to do until months later. What a dweeb! We chatted with friends, said hello to our favorite 'dingo' Raleigh, and soon enough the race was off after the RD announced all the Voyaguer Veterans and all their finishes. It is so inspiring to see this, hoping that someday, especially for this race, that I too will be one of those veterans.
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| Kevin L. snapped a quick pic of us together as we are usually on the opposite side of the camera. |
A count down happened quickly and we were off. I knew familiar faces as they passed, and some stuck with me in the beginning. I ran with Dawn for a bit, I was happy to see her. She was supposed to volunteer, but wanted to run instead. She had been out of love with running, and was happy to be out on the trail. I was happy for her, and happy her love was reignited. Soon enough we were on the bottleneck portion of the trail. This is the section of Jay Cooke State park filled with roots, rocks, and more rocks, steep ups and downs, and 300+ runners all trying to get though about 3+ miles of trails. I like to compare this beginning section to rush hour traffic. Some runners more frustrated than others to get by, and some of the newer runners asked if the run would be like this the whole time, and reassured one that it definitely thins out after the first aid station. I managed to wiggle by some people in this beginning section, as I always remember "run the flats, hike uphill, and bomb the downhills'. There I went flying as much as I could down the hills. Before I reached the swinging bridge, a woman ran to my side and said, "You have amazing downhill technique, it was so relaxing watching your feet!"I felt on top of the world! I told her I couldn't take all the credit, as I have been watching Long's feet for close to two years now float downhills like he was on an invisible mountain bike. We chatted for a bit, and this was her first Voyageur! I always feel like a welcoming committee member, and let her know she was going to LOVE it and that this is a race I want to come back to every year! Her family was crewing her which I also reassured her is the best! I instantly remembered my parents and that this day was their 29th (golden!) anniversary. I noted to dedicate the 29th mile to them, and to say a prayer for how happy and blessed I am that they have been together through mountains and valleys, and that this day was a joyous celebration and reminder of their love and dedication to each other and how they, to this day, selflessly and lovingly pour themselves into our family. God, I love my parents!
I left the second aid station with ginger ale in my belly, and a small cup of gummy bears in my hand. I couldn't help smiling like a kid who got what they wanted at the candy store.
By mile 6, I knew I was in... trouble? No, not trouble, but I did know I was undertrained, but I felt good. The breathing was heavy, the heart rate was high, but I felt surprisingly good. This was also the time I decided to name my left knee Casandra so I could tell it nice things and that I would not scrape her up again: no falling. By the second aid station, I had one of the volunteers compliment my skirt. Two compliments in the morning? I'll take it!
Mile 7: "Hey! How are you doing?! Remember me? We finished together last year!" Yes! I recognized him, he helped push me at the end, and was grateful for that. We caught up from everything that happened since last year, and he attempted Superior 100, and was going to give it another go this year. He told me he had only been running with no races, but let me tell you we didn't talk for long because his training was paying off! After we caught up on everything to this race, he was off! It made me think of last year's Voyageur until now. Yes, I had gotten stronger over that year (both mentally and physically) but for this race, I was definitely undertrained. I had to mentally remind myself what Alex told me.
One of the best things about this race was how close together the aid station are! It is a blessing to have so many volunteers at this race that can run them, and on top of that, they are the most helpful and friendly! I was in and out of aid stations so quickly, just grabbing food, that I had been forgetting to refill my bottles! I had been sipping on cups of ginger ale (my ultra vice.. well.. one of them!) and water but totally neglecting my own supply. I realized this as I left Petersons, but did remember to restock from my drop bin. I was being good about eating and everything else- I was just so focused on spending as little time at aid stations as possible. New plan. Next aid station I would refill and make sure I took the time to do that first.
I ran in front of a man and a woman who talked ultras for a while. One of them mentioned running with Jim Walmsley at so-and-so race. As seasoned as they were, they took their time on the downhills, and the runner behind me made this very clear as he muttered a 'seriously?! come on!' loud enough for them to hear but quiet enough where only they and I could hear it. I quickly said 'on your left!' as I scooted on by, and so did he. "Your shoes are so mesmerizing I almost forgot to look where I'm going! There is such a unique contract between them... I need to wake up!" he said running behind me. It made me aware that I too was a bit groggy, and also chimed in that caffeine did sound appealing. I told him I might crab a coke at the next aid station, and advised me to wait until I really needed it... after he said he as going to get some. I stopped talking to him and picked up my pace.
I realized that this race offers a lot of runnable sections. I was looking at the trail in front of me with more experienced set of eyes. Stronger, more experienced eyes. I thought about last year how if I saw the slightest incline, I would hike. I thought about how I had to conserve my energy for when I really needed it. This gave me a boost of confidence knowing I was tougher and stronger, but still had the same love and heart for this community and sport. I started a conversation with two women in front of me. I complimented one on her shorts, and soon enough I learned this was her first Voyageur! I loved meeting these first timers. This was her first 50 miler, and she was so positive and happy. We talked of other races and what we might do the rest of the year. I scooted past them and wished them a great time out on the trail.
Thought: The water crossings had extremely low water.
I saw Elizabeth directing people to the aid station. I have her a high five. She is such a genuinely happy and honest person, and also a crazy smart scientist. I ran my hand through the DSP flag as I was so happy to be at my favorite aid station. Julio gave me a big hug and helped me refill my bottles, he also complimented my doe earrings (the only person to notice!). Steve made a comment that Long was only two minutes ahead of me. My heart instantly dropped and was quickly recovered with a 'just kidding!'. I was relieved, otherwise I knew I was going way too fast! I grabbed a few pieces of fuel and headed to the power lines. As soon as I was atop the first, I was almost moved to tears, in a positive way. "Hello friends!" I said out loud. It was such a beautiful sight to see the runner, like ants, scattered and spread out on the power lines. I feel like this thought happened last year as well, "that wasn't so bad!" ... I wish I would have said the same thing on power lines round two...
The aid station before one of the water crossings was close. A little boy ran towards the runners and I and told us he had built a bridge for us to use. I picked up some fig newtons and ate one. I think I almost fell on the ground with a knockout surprise flavor. These were fruit newtons! No figs in the middle. I don't think I had ever tasted such a delicious surprise! I grabbed more and headed over the bridge the kids made. I thanked them for their ingenuity as it was super helpful. If there is one thing I have not mastered it is the water crossing. I take way too much time trying to balance, and eventually give up and splash my way through without trying to slip!
Mile 16 I knew I was undertrained, this is where it settled in and it was taking more of a physical toll. My right calf decided to tighten up and become a rock. Yikes! I had never felt a pain like this running. It felt okay during uphill climbs, but any time I started running...pain!
A distant cowbell was ringing, I saw Willow dancing and cheering for me! I loved seeing her. She is always so cheerful and positive. This aid station was mostly Upper Midwest Trail Runner members. I said hi to Amy and we chatted. She got me ice for my shirt and hat. They asked me how I was and only responded with "hot". They reassured me I looked great, butI finally started to realize what Erik meant when he said he felt 'internally violated' from his time at Black Hills the following year. I had some fuel and a volunteer asked me if I was Michelle. She had mentioned she knew of me from my pervious workplace, and told me that one of my former coworkers Conor says hi. This made me smile as I knew how much my previous colleagues mean to me. When I was out of the hospital, they sent me a stuffed puppy and a card through one of the greatest friends I met though work, Jess.
Comparison is the thief of joy, yes, but I couldn't help thinking about how different this year was from last year. I thought about how I ran with Kari, and how happy I was to be next to a friend and a trail badass. This year I was 'roughing it' solo. Still, I was having fun, which was my only goal of Voyageur 2017. Remember what Alex said, I might surprise myself!
I started to notice that I had been behind a woman for quite some distance at this point. I complimented her shorts (there were many fashion forward runners out there! I don't mean to make repeat compliments!). We got to talking, and again, this was her first Voyageur., but she was a seasoned, experienced runner. She had run 67 100 mile races, ran across a few states, and placed first 4x in a 100 miler out in Tennessee until this year (?) the title was taken from her. I was instantly blown away. She mentioned that she always tells herself that she is going to retire but couldn't seem to get to that point. I was starry-eyed. I hope I am like her when I am older, determined for more, determined to never quit (but the balance between that and not getting addicted, because there's a line somewhere).
We leap-frogged each other for the remainder of the race. I also did this with Cory and a few other people.
I pulled in to Skyline after tackling some rolling ski trail hills. I saw the inflatable airplanes and smiled. I loved the fact that they made this fun. I saw Todd and then someone approached me. "Are you Michelle?" It was Liz! We had never met in person, and here we were! Happy to help me with refilling my bottles.
Climb up to Skyline. This was a lot of uphill. The view of Duluth from Spirit Mtn. was amazing. I hadn't seen Long yet. I was starting to get a bit worried. He said he would see me here. He's always right. He even helped me pick out my outfit the night before and it is perfect! Where is he?
Thought: I watched the people ride the alpine slide on a beautiful Saturday morning. "This must be how people have fun on a weekend, some people decide to run 50 miles in late July."
I saw Kate first, she is such a strong runner, and a positive one. She makes ultras look effortless. We had a quick exchange. Where was Long? I kept looking for his outfit. Nope, not yet.
Soon enough, Long came in to view. We recognized each other for a distance as we each picked up our pace with arms extended, reaching for a hug. Here was the pick-me-up I needed. We asked each other how we were doing, gave each other encouraging words, and we were both off in our separate ways. I told him I'd see him at the finish line, which almost seemed like an eternity in my mind (again, remembering how last year mile 30-40 felt like it took a day).
I felt so much better after seeing him, I picked up my pace, knowing if I went faster that meant I could see him sooner again rather than later. Who else haven't I seen yet? Kari, Erik, Wendi. I kept thinking I saw people who looked like Kari, and almost reaching in for a hug, but stopped myself in time before I realized it. A few minutes later, it was her! She told me she recognized my run and that's how she knew it was me. It's true, everyone has their signature gait per say. I gave her a big hug, we stopped and talked for a hot second (emphasis on the hot!). She looked great! With her track record of badassery and ultras, every year she got stronger and the smile on her face was bigger! Soon enough we parted ways, time to get to the turnaround! I saw Erik and Wendi running together with two other runners. We had a quick exchange. Where's that turnaround!?
Finally! I was here, and I was hot. The heat didn't truly bother me until this point, because now it was officially the afternoon. I refueled, hung around for a lot longer than I should have as I took off my vest because at times it made me feel claustrophobic in a way that I couldn't fully breathe in and out. More ice in the hat and the shirt, asked for some paper towels as I thought I needed to go to the bathroom any second now (my stomach really messes with my head, I was just really bloated from the heat). Time to go back to the start. I thought about all the people I got to see along the way again, it made me happy.
Back to skyline, I told Todd that my stomach was giving me issues and that my calves (both of them at this point) were now un-cooperating rocks. He handed me a cup of ginger ale, and then another after that one settled. Surprisingly, the effect took place right away. He tried handing me a third cup, but two was my limit. I thanked him for his help, and I was off. I love the 'trail burps' I have after having carbonation. A large suburban drove by and a cowbell was ringing out the window. This cowbell is the most distinctive of all cowbells- it was Rhende cheering me on outside her car window. She always makes me smile, one of the most gentle, caring, kind, patient women I know. Always full of love and joy.
The 29th mile, This mile is dedicated to my parents. 29 years of marriage on the 29th of July. I said a prayer of gratitude and appreciation. I am so fortunate to have them as parents, I have been incredibly blessed by them. Their impact of selflessness, care, and love extend far beyond our immediate family. I am thankful that even after 29 years of hills and valleys, their commitment hasn't changed, it has only gotten stronger. As this happened I couldn't help but hold back tears (I'm teary writing this!).
Comparison is the thief of joy, yes. However, there's a flip side to this. I was thinking about 2016 Voyageur- my second 50 miler and 3rd ultra. I was trained for it, but still new to this whole trail running/ running in general. As trained as I was, I ran it smart- not fast, not hard. Miles 30-40 felt like they flew by! Last year I was trying to figure out who in the world slowed down those miles. I was in some sort of slow-motion time warp. I knew that I was stronger, which is a positive. That's why the miles were flying by (or so it seemed), but, again, very undertrained. That fact is unavoidable.
From the miles of 30-50, I leap-frogged quite a few people. Chris, Corey (her first 50 miler/new trail running friend I made/wearer of awesome shorts), seasoned badass woman (also wearer of awesome shorts), and some other woman who did an ultra in New York. At one point, I passed Chris, said something to him, and about .10 miles ahead of him, I was running at a slight incline. My foot caught something and I recovered in time to not eat the trail. "Pick up your damn feet" Chris said behind me. That almost-fall I had really caught me off guard. "Yes sir!" I replied, and I waited for him to pass me because I needed to watch some fresh feet in front of me. He pulled me for quite some time as I watched his footing. He was so consistent and great at picking up his feet. During these miles I went in waves of bursts of energy to needing to hike a bit. I started noticing a strange pain in my right foot, like a hot, burning, painful blister was rapidly forming. Every step elevated the pain. Yikes!
I saw Corey hiking it out, she got a pretty bad side stitch. I offered words of encouragement and told her she was doing great for her first 50 miler! I think this is when I started to realize how damn hot it actually was. The power lines even proved this point more.
Aid station under the bridge (not sure the sequence of events is correct at this point. A spectator saw me roll in to the aid station. "You only have about 13 more miles to go!" she told me. She made it seem like it was nothing, like what she said was a positive thing. Usually I can brush off things people say I don't want to hear, but my tired instinct was a death glare. I think she noticed I wasn't happy with what she said, then she added, "It's really not that much! It may seem like it but it's not." Lady, here are some strong words of advice: Do NOT tell someone mileage, or how much there is left, unless a runner asks you. I'm usually not a peeved person, but when it comes to running, NEVER say "almost there" or "you only have (insert mileage here) left!" Unless I ask, then that's only. Otherwise, cue death stare.
"Oh it's you again". I was preparing mentally to face round No. 2 of the power lines. The thought I had earlier this morning about how it wasn't so bad was gone. As I was climbing up one of the climbs, I passed a runner. "I don't know about you, but I'm at the f*** this shit stage." I almost started laughing, but I knew this guy wasn't joking around. One of the best pieces of advice Long had given me about ultras is to get away from negative people as quickly as possible. Even at the most grueling part of Voyageur, I knew I had to climb harder. Up I went, avoiding the negative guy. Towards the end of the power lines section, I could hear distant cheering. I was so close to the DSP aid station. Yes! Kevin was there taking pictures and Mark kept giving me 'surprises' (cold dumps of water on my back). They helped me refill bottles, put more ice in my shirt and hat, and off I went. I told Julio I was feeling hot, and I think he could sense that I was starting to feel just the slightest bit of defeat (no pun intended). He said he would run with me, and so he did. I was concerned at first that someone would call me out as having a pacer, but really, he wanted to take pictures of me to show Long how badass I was. Julio talked to me for about a mile or so, telling me many times how proud he is of me, and I told him I adapted some of the Zumbro techniques we used at night to run up the long, incline section. He stopped at about a mile and turned around after a few pictures and words. He cheered for me as he ran back. I have him and some friends to thank that not only got me in to this community, but time and time again pull me through these events.
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| Hands not working like they should. PC: Kevin C. |
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| Always resort to peace signs (or high fives... if they aren't holding a camera). PC: Kevin C |
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| The best surprises at DSP aid station... thanks Mark! PC: Kevin C. |
More energy spurts, some hiking, some thinking about what in the world I would be hungry for afterwards. A big ol' burger? That sounded hot and fatty.. nope. Check that off the list. Is Long sleeping? What time will I get to the finish? Will I even make the cutoff time? Stop over-thinking this! Well, you're good at it, but do that later, focus on getting from aid station to aid station, drink and eat still, you still need fuel to finish, and it's damn hot. You got this!
I got to the aid station after the river crossing, as I was unscrewing my cap to my bottle, the cap fell in the dirt (gross). I cleaned it off as best I could and tried to put it back on. Not working. I looked at the cap and a rock lodged into the cranny where it needs to tighten. I asked a volunteer to wedge it out with a knife or something. This took about 5 minutes. Thank goodness for kind, patient, and willing volunteers that put up with odd requests like this. I thanked him for taking the time to do it. I lost Chris at this point, and badass ultra woman with awesome shorts. I made it a semi goal to catch him again.
Petersons. I didn't remember the people there always being in costume. Did I miss this in the morning? New shift? Anyway, I need my supplies. I searched the tarp for my bin. Where was it? I asked a volunteer if it was in the back of the open car with some drop bags loaded up ready to head back- it wasn't in there. I grabbed some AS food and decided I'd be okay (which I was but I was still upset they took it away so soon). Note: Do not share a drop bag with a faster runner, or with anyone, ever again. Back to the aid station where the woman complimented my skirt!
I needed to pee, I remember there was a port-a-potty at this aid station. I walked over to it with a handful of chips. Occupado. Decision made, chips in hand, keep going! There was Chris! Yes, keep going. There was badass woman in the distance and New York woman. I eventually caught up to all of them. One more aid station. Soon I'd be at Jay Cooke, the mecca of all toilets (visitor center... would it be open by the time I stroll in?).
The answer to my question was yes. I asked an aid station volunteer if it was. I ran to it. I walked back to the aid station and caved in to fear: the cutoff time. They all reassured me I had plenty of time. About 3 miles left to go. This was a very technical, root and rock dense trail. I remember how it felt last year to step on the unevenness of the rocks, and gritting my teeth.
On this section, I was with badass woman again. I told her I was glad to have met her. I told her she inspired me to pursue a lifetime of goals. "Nevertheless, she persisted". She responded back to me. This made me smile, she was awesome. She mentioned something about finishing before Scott Kummer, whom I happened to know of through some of my friends. I told her that I was going to try and scoot my way through this section, and that I was gonna do this. She gave me encouragement with the words, :you got this, go get 'em." I passed the woman who earlier in the day complimented my downhill technique. "I wish I had those feet now" I told her. I passed two other guys and the technical part was over.
There was another section of trail that was mostly uphill ever so slightly. Yes, this was the part in the morning we turned off on. Soon I would be on the pavement turning to the high school. This was it! Pavement hurts. The turn before the high school felt like an eternity. I mustered up everything I had to go into a faster.. run... using the word run at this point is a stretch as my calves were both un- cooperating rocks and both of my feet were no where near as nimble as this morning. I saw Li Ping and she was cheering for me before the turn. She shot Long a quick call/text letting him know I was coming. The turn! The high school! the people!
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| A happy, teary-eyed finish. PC: Li Ping |
I thanked the police officer who was directing traffic for the safety of runners. I heard the cheers and cowbells grow louder in volume. Here were all the people who encouraged me, cheered for me, ran with me, and they were cheering. This community is one where we all thrive when we all succeed. Togetherness, determination, and selflessness. By the time I reached the colorful finish line, I was crying. This is the community I love. I received that precious handmade mug, I went straight into Long's arms and cried. He asked me what was wrong and I instantly said "that was hard, but it was so good!" I rested for a bit in the grass, tried to eat a banana, had some water, took a shower, and we watched the last runners come in. This is the beauty of this sport, everyone cheering for each other and helping everyone succeed. I congratulated friends of old and new- that's the beauty of this community isn't it? Making friends out on the trail while running with friends of old. This is one of my favorite races- I hope to be one of those veterans who returns year after year in to the double digits. Until next year, Voyageurs! I'll cherish the memories and these precious, handmade mugs.
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| Happy to be clean and done for 2017 Voyageur! Now, we feast! |
I did surprise myself. I was undertrained, but I wanted this. I told myself I had one goal, and it was to have fun. Yes, it hurt a lot. Zumbro taught me to deal with pain. I had fun, all in thanks to this community who makes it enjoyable.
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| Last years mug (left) and the latest edition (right). |
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