Dear Steph - Indianapolis Edition

I got an email from my friend, Katie, the other day. Katie's the best! And hilarious. She lives and works in Texas, but is one of my best girls from college.

She wrote:

I am working on pulling together a "Welcome to Indianapolis" wedding present for my friends who are moving there. Gift certificates for cool things to do. I'm thinking restaurants, theaters, outdoorsy stuff.

Do you have any suggestions on your or Ben's knowledge of the city? 

I sent a response (of course, weeks later), but in writing all of this, I thought it'd be fun to share with all of you. After all, what's there to do in Indianapolis?

My reply:

Yeah! Plenty! And then I realized that we're pretty lame.

Here's my list (because Ben came up one only one thing, haha). ENJOY!!!!!

FOOD

• St. Elmo's Steakhouse -- known for their cocktail sauce and its spicyness. Apparently some amazingly good steaks. Zagat agrees. They also have good happy hour appetizer/drinks specials for the hotshot young professionals who like to go out after work. It's located downtown.  High end. High class. Web: http://www.stelmos.com/
• Bazbeaux Pizza - known all over Indianapolis for their pizza, and I've never had it before. But it's in a cool neighborhood (Mass. Ave - Massachusetts Avenue) with a cultural trail, one-of-a-kind shops, and other restaurants/bars. I used to live a few blocks away when I lived downtown! There's also one in Carmel (read below). Web: http://www.bazbeaux.com/
• Bub's Burgers* - must!! It's North of the city (30 min from downtown) in a fancy-pants neighborhood called Carmel, and there's a location in Bloomington we frequent quite often, too. I would eat there every day if I could - they have a big burger challenge! If you eat the whole thing you get your picture on the wall. Sweet potato waffle fries are the best. AND THEIR ICE CREAM - omg. Get a milkshake. Die happy. Web: http://www.bubsburgersandicecream.com/
• Trader's Point Creamery* - A local gem! They source and serve local, slow food like eggs, dairy, and meats. We chased chickens on the farm here once. Ice cream, yogurt, farm breakfasts... yum. Sunday brunch - the best. Web: http://www.tpforganics.com/the-loft-restaurant/
• Rick's Boatyard - a great anniversary or birthday dinner type place. It's on the water of Eagle Creek (see below) so you feel like you're eating on a cruise ship or waterside in the Keys. Great great great food and romantical atmosphere. :) We went here after we got married. Live music on weekend nights. Web: http://www.rickscafeboatyard.com/

STUFF TO DO

• SkyZone - an indoor trampoline park. I've never been but I heard it's wicked fun!  Web: http://www.skyzone.com/Fishers
• Duck pin bowling - mini bowling! Super cute date night type thing. Web: http://www.fountainsquareindy.com/bowling/
• Latitude 39 - like a Dave & Buster's, except the games are way more fun... some games I've never seen anywhere but at Latitude 39. Bowling alley too with midnight bowl. Web: http://latitude39indy.com/
• The Rathskeller - live music plus an outdoor beer garden... awesome summertime activity to hang out with friends. They have amazing German food (and beverage). It's near downtown, on Mass Ave, and it's in a beautiful historical building. If you're really into the downtown living scene, this is the place. Web: http://www.rathskeller.com/
• Canal stuff - you can rent a paddleboat, bike, or a Segway (tours!) on the canal that goes through downtown and IUPUI (college). Technically, it's a part of the White River State Park.... a downtown state park! Link: http://www.discovercanal.com/userctl.cfm?PageContentTypeID=1&PageContentID=8
• Eagle Creek Park* - aside from Central Park NYC, it's supposedly the largest city park. It's really quiet, almost traffic-deserted, and great for biking (roads are always deserted), hiking on trails, or running (roads or trails). They hold lots of events, a nature center, plenty of picnic shelters, etc. It costs $5 to get in each time, but you can buy an annual pass for $85 (?) and get unlimited entries. There's a lake, a "beach" (yes, I've swam here), and a boat launch. Also a golf course and a shooting/archery range. Lots of picnic shelters and a great place to spend the day with friends.
• The Murat-  also on Mass Ave., this is a big old theater where they hold live shows and events. I've never been, but it's a gorgeous historical building with a name that's unfortunately been commercialized recently by a big-money sponsor. And hey look! Bill Cosby's coming in September! ;)  Web: http://www.ticketmaster.com/Murat-Theatre-at-Old-National-Centre-tickets-Indianapolis/venue/41109  About the venue (photos): http://oldnationalcentre.com/venue-information
• Klipsch Music Center* - Formerly the Verizon Music Center where we saw Coldplay! Big. Outdoor. Concerts. Summer. Fun. Web: http://www.livenation.com/venues/14412/klipsch-music-center 
• Carmel Arts & Design District* - Carmel is like the Upper Arlington of Cbus... except with more $$$$. They have an "old town" arts and entertainment district with cute shops, antique shops, boutiques, coffee & ice cream places, restaurants, bars, etc. and do gallery walks and fun stuff. It's also located right off of the Monon Trail, a converted railroad line turned multi-purpose path that goes all the way into downtown (it goes 12 miles south, but note: don't go south of the streets in the 50s). This is a fun date night activity too, just bumming around or taking the dog for a walk. Very cool area, and lots of young professionals live here. It'd be fun to grab a coffee or burger (from Bub's - see above), find an outdoor seating area off the trail, and people-watch. Web: http://www.carmelartsanddesign.com/ 
• Broad Ripple* - Best drinking spot. It's annoying to get to, and some of the bars have sticky floors or creepers stalking around, but this is where the just-out-of-college crowd goes to get sloppy. It's still a cool area, when it's not party central, during the day - lots of artists, galleries, and unique shops/restaurants exist in this neighborhood. Great place to walk around and explore... also off of the Monon Trail, south of Carmel about 5 miles. Web: http://www.discoverbroadripplevillage.com/
• Bloomington!* - I'm not even saying this in a biased way. It's a cool college town, and there are lots of hipsters and fun things to do, local people make it a weekend or a day trip (it's ~1 hour drive). The campus is beautiful. Saturday morning farmer's market is amazing (get Tamales at Feast!!), and there are always events going on, gallery hops, arts festivals, concerts, and tons of ridiculously good food. Btown is hugely liberal and eco-friendly, so you'd fit in if you drive a Prius (or Subaru) sporting a = bumper sticker. If you like the "shop-local" vibe, this is the place. Oh, and I hear the running stores in town are pretty solid. ;) Boulder of the Midwest??

*Not downtown, or within walking distance of downtown. Must drive!

GOOD PLACES & NO-FLY ZONES

Whenever I hit up a new city, I usually want to know where NOT to go just as much as where to go. (Big city rule of thumb: if you can't see a Starbucks, you're in the wrong neighborhood)

Just like any city, Indy has some pockets & areas that may not be the safest at night... or during the day. My work takes me to some pretty rough areas sometimes, and often I learn this the scary way!

So here is my list of places to stay out of after dark/daytime:

1. Anywhere on the East side near 465... or anywhere on the east side in general. Shadeland. Around Post Rd. This is where seriously bad things can happen.
2. Southeast side, along 465. I kid! Honestly- It's not unsafe here, but many call it the "Dirty South." There's a pretty good mall in Greenwood though, so I can't hate on it that much. You'll just see a lot of unnecessarily large and loud trucks and confederate-flag license plates or vinyl stickers. Oh wait, that shouldn't be too different from Texas.
3. 38th Street +/- 2 miles North/South on the West side. Not a place to hang out at night. Or by yourself. Lock your doors. Ben tells me the mall over there, Lafayette Square, is commonly referred to as "Lafayette Scare," and we see it on the news frequently enough. I don't question.

And here is my list of places you (probably) won't get mugged, car-jacked, stabbed, robbed, or worse:

1. Carmel. SUVs, soccer moms, McMansions.
2. Mass Ave. But stay on Mass Ave, otherwise you'll accidentally wander into a homeless shelter (which I can tell you from experience).
3. Downtown. Again, stay in the downtown areas (and yeah, you'll probably get accosted by a panhandler on the street). Downtown's been redone for the Superbowl a few years ago, so plenty of downtown lofts and bars, restaurants, and a downtown mall (a la City Center of Cbus in its heyday).

Monon Trail

PLACES TO RUN IN INDIANAPOLIS

Worst part of being in a city you don't know -- running through areas you don't know. 

Best safe staple places to run:

1. Monon Trail. Definitely stay on the path north of streets in the 50s (i.e., 56th street or north), and preferably north of 86th Street. I'd recommend starting in Carmel anywhere near 116th Street or 146th (Parking limited, but plenty of neighborhoods and shopping centers nearby) and working your way South for an out-and-back. Surface is paved and allows bikes and pedestrians. Up to 25 miles of trail.
2. Canal Downtown. It's a big loop, but you could get about 3 miles in before you have to repeat. Best for short quick runs. Concrete pavement.
   
   
3. Eagle Creek. My favorite place! Northwest Indy. Trails, roads... either or. There's virtually no traffic and you can't get too lost on trails. If you enter from the 71st Street entrance there's a Fitness Trail that's about 1 mile long. Otherwise, the park has labeled 5k, 6k, and 10k route signs inside the park on roads. Note: You need to pay to get in or have a park pass. (DNR passes do not apply - this isn't a state park). Web: Link
4. Fort Ben. Fort Harrison, whatever you want to call it. It's a state park. I still haven't run here before but this is a go-to running place for North/East siders and they hold running events, like the Indianapolis Marathon, with routes inside the park. Web: Link

So that's your quick and dirty guide to Indianapolis. Any other cool or fun things I forgot to add? Comment!

2013 DWD Gnaw Bone 50 Mile - Ben

Where to start?  A year ago I ventured into the unknown by signing up for and successfully completing my first ultramarathon, the 2012 Dances With Dirt – Gnaw Bone 50 miler.  After a consistent and conservative 8 hours and 17 minutes I finished with a renewed interest in running and the hope for future possibilities spent on the trails.  I also finished with a qualifying time good enough to enter the lottery for the 2013 Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run… many in the BARA group had already shown their excitement of the possibility by urging me to enter.  So I did.  And on a day in December, with an 8% chance, my name was drawn for the event.  I was truly taken back because I didn't think “the odds would be ever in my favor.”  Actually, I figured I’d just enter and hope to increase my odds the following year because you get an extra ticket in the drawing each year you are denied.  Not to be the case, instead I should be toeing the line in Squaw Valley in 44 days!

What does this mean?  This means that the 2013 Dances With Dirt – Gnaw Bone 50 miler would be a good barometer for my progress and preparation over the past year – mentally and physically. I went into the event with a large variety of possible outcomes determined by my current training load, weather, how I felt on race day, competition in the race, and what I felt would be best for training for WS100.  Come race day I was on pace for over 100 miles for the week, but felt strong.  The weather had been pretty rainy the days prior, but was cool, overcast, and dry on race day.  I wasn’t sure of the competition until the race started – the biggest unknown.  And I felt that 50 miles was the best thing for my training – also wearing/using what I thought I would at Western States.  I decided to start the race within myself (under control) and assess where I was with my competition once we settled in on the Brown County State Park trails around mile 4…

From the gun one runner (John Nay) took off and was out of my sight by the first mile.  I decided that I wouldn’t spend time worrying about him because he was either going to destroy me, destroy himself, or drop down to the 50k.  At the end of the first mile I was in about 8^th place and after the sloppy second mile I was in second (way behind John).  It was in the second mile that I discovered that it could be a good day to come… I came through that mile in 9:08 chopping 2:41 off of my split on that mile from the previous year (and passing the other 6 people)!  And it was arguably muddier than 2012 – controlled breathing? Yes. Sweet!

I continued to stay in my own head managing my breathing and pace to insure I wasn’t getting too excited… just 10 days prior I had run the 50k route and had a harder time with the pace (it was also over 80 degrees that day).  Onward I go, passing early starters (most all of which ask if I’m running the 50k or 50 mile), and occasionally seeing two runners behind me on switchbacks chatting about a minute back – I wish I was chatting… should I slow down?  Nah.  I reach Hesitation Point (11 miles) and see a familiar face, Rachel Mosley, crewing the aid station!  She gives me the low down on John Nay which only confirms my prior thinking to just let him go.  

Mountain bike trails, aid station, off-trails, crazy hike hill, hiking trails, aid station, off-trails, jumping logs, slipping on log, falling, knocking the wind out of me for a few seconds (learning later I bruised a few ribs – luckily it didn’t tighten up until after the race), regrouping, continuing off-trails, horse trails, up a mud wall off trail, then down and up another mud wall, back onto hiking trails around a lake, up a long stairway, then onto the roads to decision point – no decision necessary today, what did Nay do? 50k. Sweet, I’m the leader on the course… onward!

So, lap one was pretty uneventful aside from the fall, lap two would provide most of the stories for the day.  First, the paranoia sets in almost immediately after the fist pump of knowing I’ve taken over the lead of the 50 mile race.  I’m usually the one doing the catching the last half of a race, but there’s nobody to catch - therefore I’m the one being caught, right?… that’s not cool!  

Just after decision point I could still hear the volunteer calling out bib numbers and I thought I heard him call one out that matched the 50 mile bib range about 10 seconds after mine… I look back to see a guy that appears to be hauling ass!  Shit, this lead was short lived… we get onto the trails and after a minute or so I don’t hear or see him anymore, but I don't dare to look back – that just shows your vulnerability!  Soon after the course coincides with the Half Marathon (for about a mile) and I catch sight of Chris Banul!  We exchange hellos, he explains that he’s thrown out the heart rate running and that Erin won’t be surprised, then we work on catching a large pack of Half-ers (the most traffic I saw all day).  It was truly one of the highlights of my day as we weaved through the runners, Chris right on my tail, charging up a hill on Trail 9.  I start to gap him a bit and ask him to give a shout if/when second place passes him so I know if I’ve put more time back on the guy from just a mile or two earlier -  a shout I never heard.

Back around to Hesitation Point, Rachel excitedly relays that I’m in first and that I had at least 15 minutes on third (now second) last time I came through 19 miles earlier.  This only confuses me because that either means this guy I saw a while back had made up 15 minutes or he wasn’t a 50 miler – but I swear he was, right?  She also tells me Stephanie (my wife), Erin Hazler (Chris’ wife), and Christy Victor had safely made it through earlier – oh yeah, that’s right, I get to see Erin and Christy soon!  Back to the same mountain bike trails only this time with the paranoia around every switchback that I might be getting caught.  I decided to get my mp3 player out about halfway on this stretch and after about 3-5 frustrating minutes of trying to run and untangle the headphones (because I don’t want to get caught while just standing there), the music helps me relax and get back into a groove.  This 6.5 mile stretch from 31-37.5 miles is definitely the hardest in (for) my mind.  It’s a lot of twists and turns, no aid stations, no other runners, 4.5 hours of running already, and pressure of being in first – just get to the North Tower, Christy and Erin should be soon.

After the North Tower the off trail sections begin and even though they’re harder, in my mind they are harder for everyone, so I don’t feel like I’m vulnerable.  And at this point I’m under half marathon to go, so its only a matter of time - could it really be this "easy" to win?  Finally, the moment arrives and they see me before I see them.  I was busy dreading the impending hand-on-knee hill ahead and they’re halfway up hooting and hollering – Erin and Christy!  Fortunately, we had a nice little hike to chat for a moment and wish each other luck (much better than on some downhill) – I also asked them to give a shout for second, which I never heard.  A bit before Erin and Christy I had begun catching the back end of the 50k race which gave me people to catch and something other than my thoughts to focus on.  This continued on the off trail, mud wall, lake, staircase, road and all the way to the finish… the last key catch of the day came on the roads for the final time.  Pre-race it was determined that Maria Kaylen and I were to have a runner’s duel to the finish (right?).  If all went well, I would probably get there first, if not it would be close.  All was going well for me and Maria had gotten a bit off track, so the catch came sooner than we both thought – about 5.5 miles to go – Hey! Good job, see you soon!  Unfortunately for both of us, we were on the roads and I was running about 7-flat pace, so not much more was spoken in passing.  [These ladies might not think it meant a lot to me to see them in the race, but I considered it truly a blessing to have the opportunity to see them in their BIG race and I greatly appreciated the motivation it gave me to drive forward to find them.]

To the finish!  Back on horse trails, I found it interesting that the 50k-ers I was passing were still dancing around the mud… I was already covered with mud and wet feet, so I went straight through it.  Also interesting, I felt that straight through the mud often times was less shoe-sucking than where everyone else had already trampled – remember to tell others for next time!  After a while we dumped out on Ski World, abandoned ski slopes… last year I thought it was a terrible ending, but this year I had been running my hilly runs in preparation for Western States out on the slopes, so I knew what to expect – convenient training!  Then through a creek where I tripped on a stick and went hands first into a mud mound… then onto the finish line! I always pride myself in looking “fresh” and being excited at the finish, it’s supposed to be fun, right?!  To help me bring it home I was met with a long BARA line of high fives in the chute as I charged through the line - woohoo-ing all the way.  First place!  Course record!  Awesome day!

The course record was an added bonus that I thought I was capable of doing if all things went well on the day.  At about 35 miles I thought it was going to fall out of reach, so I put it out of my mind and just focused on finishing strong.  In the end, a strong finish is all I needed to cut about 6.5 minutes off of the record set last year (in a race that I ran 50 minutes slower for 5^th place).  And as for the guy right behind me?  Second place comes in 66 minutes later!?!  I heard something about a few people getting lost and I know some people dropped down to the 50k, so I’m not sure how much that 66 minutes truly reflects the competitors in the race, but it is what it is – a great confidence builder in preparation for the big one on June 29^th. 

Below are some of the more geeky stats and details of my race for those curious or planning their own and interested in what others have done.  If you have questions as to why I chose to wear or eat or drink whatever, please don’t hesitate to ask… I know that before a race I’m looking at other reports to figure out what I might do, so I would expect the same to happen with this report.  We all have something we can learn from each other, right?

Time/Distance Stats (vs. 2012)
26.2 – 3:49 (4:19)
50k – 4:32 (5:08)
First 25.15 – 3:42 (4:11)
Second 25.15 – 3:46 (4:06)
Stopped Time – 6:01 (17:13)

Total 50.3 – 7:27:57 (8:17)
More Race Data & Splits: http://app.strava.com/activities/53705158
Official Results: http://www.timing.runningfitsites.com/raceresults.php?RaceID=319

Nutrition
Breakfast (starting at 4:30am):
- Peanut butter, banana, Bakehouse granola, and orange blossom honey sandwich on multigrain
- Handful of dark chocolate covered almonds, 2 hard-boiled eggs, apple, and water
- 3 x Hammer Race Caps and Vespa Jr.

In-Race:
- Start w/2x8oz Softflasks of H2O sipping along the way
- Endurolytes @ 9mi - just before Hoosiers Nest West (1:12),
- 4oz of Caffé Latte Perpetuem (mixed at 4 scoops per 20oz) @ 11mi - Hesitation Point (1:31),
- Endurolytes & Cherry Lime Roctane GU w/ 4oz cup of water, refill 8oz of H20 @ 18mi - North Tower (2:32),
- 8oz of Caffé Latte Perpetuem w/4oz cup of coke, pick up Vespa Jr. @ 20.5mi - Hoosiers Nest East (3:06)
- Endurolytes @ 24mi - stairs before Nature Center (3:34),
- Vespa Jr. @ 26mi – road before Trail 9 (3:48)
- Endurolytes & 8oz of Caffé Latte Perpetuem, refill 8oz of H2O & 8oz of Coke @ 30.5mi - Hesitation Point (4:27),
- 2 pieces of Clif Black Cherry Shot Bloks @ 34mi – North Tower Trail (5:00)
- Endurolytes & Cherry Lime Roctane GU, refill 8oz of H20 @ 37mi - North Tower (5:27),
- 8oz of Caffé Latte Perpetuem, refill 8oz of H2O & 8oz of Coke @ 41mi - Hoosiers Nest East (6:02)
- Endurolytes @ 44mi - stairs before Nature Center (6:32)

Total: 12 Endurolytes, 28oz of Caffé Latte Perpetuem, 2 Cherry Lime Roctane GUs, 2 Black Cherry Shot Bloks, 40oz of H2O, and about 15oz of Coke (about 1200 calories)

Gear/Drop Bags
Starting Gear:
- Salomon Exo S-Lab Short
- Nike BARA Singlet
- Injinji Lightweight No-Show toe socks
- CEP Socks over the toe socks
- Salomon Speedcross (because of muddy terrain, without insoles because of toe rubbing from previous runs)
- Head Buff
- Salomon Sense Hydro S-Lab gloves with 2x8oz Softflasks
- Plastic bag of 20 Endurolytes (front pocket of shorts)
- 2 packages of Clif Black Cherry Shot Blocks (one back pocket of shorts)
- Mp3 player (other back pocket of shorts)
- Garmin 910XT

Drop Bag 1 (aside from Perpetuem, all else is only used in unforeseen circumstances):
- Altra Lone Peak
- Injinji Midweight No-Show toe socks
- CEP Calf Sleeves
- spare 16oz Softflask
- 20oz. of Caffé Latte Perpetuem
- Panforte Clif Bar, 5hr energy, and a package of Clif Black Cherry Shot Blocks

Drop Bag 2 (aside from Perpetuem & vespa Jr., all else is only used in unforeseen circumstances):

- Altra Superior
- Injinji Midweight Mini-Crew toe socks
- Vespa Jr.
- spare 16oz Softflask
- 20oz. of Caffé Latte Perpetuem
- Panforte Clif Bar, 5hr energy, and a package of Clif Black Cherry Shot Blocks

---------------------

More race reports

• Steph - 50 mile
• Erin - 50k
• Chris - 50k (not public on FB)
• Maria - 50k (not public on FB)
• Chris - half (not public on FB)
• Christy - 50k
• Yours...? Comment or email with your link!

Race Recap: Dances With Dirt 50 Mile - Steph

Hello friends! Today I'm straying slightly away from Some Things Sunday to capture everything I can about the Dances With Dirt Gnaw Bone 50 Mile in 30 minutes or less, mostly unedited, mostly snapshots of what I can recall. Speed blogging*.

*Likely not a real word, but the idea of writing a post so short-and-quickly is so awesome it'll catch on and I'm calling myself a trend-starter. Join my movement! ;)

Commence the mad typing!!

Before
Caught what I suspected was a head cold earlier in the week. Couldn't sleep on Thurs/Fri nights because my nose was all stuffed up. Got up on Saturday morning, felt not-exhausted (yesss!), and started getting ready. I didn't give myself enough time because I ran out of time to eat breakfast. I thought there was a chance I could get a PB&J as breakfast at the first aid station as b-fast but instead brought bread, banana, and peanut butter. I choked it down... it's hard to stomach anything when you're not hungry, and when it's before 6am!

Start
Gah! Yet another missed race start! One of these days.... I'll be early/on time. :) But I do alright, so maybe it's not worth changing the habit.

It was kind of chilly out, but was looking like it'd be a perfect-weather race day -- 61º degrees as the high, 39º in the monring. Chilly enough that it needed some prep! I sat in the car trying to get all my clothes on (calf sleeves, arm sleeves, socks, shoes, etc.) and Ben took off with Rick to the start line.

I had about 1 minute before race start by the time I finally got everything situated and got out of the car. Oh yeah - and we got one of THE absolute farthest parking spots away from the start possible (ironically, 5 minutes later and we would have had a primo space). I heard and saw a crowd of people starting their run just as I was halfway between the car and the start, but instead of being disappointed, I was kind of glad that it turned out this way - I would've had to shiver for a few minutes otherwise, and this way I could just get going  as soon as I got there. It's strangely a good-luck thing for me to get a late start. (<--- this is how I operate in preparation for air travel also... I don't got no time to wait!)

Miles 1-10
I hit the gravel road heading to the trail and it was Sloppy. With a capital "S."  I was wearing my NB 1010s and socks, and after about the third big mud puddle both of my feet were completely wet, so although I tried to be a little ginger, it was immediately obvious there was no escaping the monstrosity of mud/poop that awaited on the (horse) trails. Good to get it out of the way early. Made it fun. :)

Passed a bunch of people in the very beginning, and second-guessed my pace. In trail races, I always feel like the idiot who everyone thinks will "fly and die," so when everyone's walking, I'm passing big crowds of people ('cause I'm starting dead last). I'm still not sure if this initial pace comes back to bite me later.

I didn't carry a pack. I wore a Flip Belt, bringing my cell phone and 3 Ignite Naturals gels. I also chose not to use drop bags. At the aid stations, I usually took a cup of water and a PB&J or a cookie, and that pretty much held me over.

During many of the conversations I had with people I found that most of them would run multiple 50s or 100s during a single season (a majority of them completing the DWD series). So for you who think I am completely nuts for doing this, there is another level of crazy! Some of them are running ultras on back to back weekends, or multiple within 2 weeks apart. Rockstars.

I don't really remember much of the first 10 miles, which is a good sign that they just clicked away. I saw my watch around 6 or 7 miles and thought it was going to be a long way to go. After that I don't think I looked for another 20 miles. So it's going to be pretty vague from here on out...

Miles 11-29ish
Somewhere near Mile 10 (?) at Hesitation Point, I passed a girl and made conversation with her. We hit some momentum-killer logs that we had to jump over, and she caught up with me. She was pretty fun to talk to, so we stuck together for a while. Actually, for over 25 miles. Her name is Kelsey. Kelsey's pretty awesome and she runs "lean," just like me - she only carried a handheld and that's it. I ran briefly with a Chicago girl named Anastasia, too, and a guy who was telling some pretty awful pun-ny jokes (many pirate-themed) to pass the time. I'd forgotten to pack a bag of Endurolytes (essentially salt pills), and they usually help keep my stomach under wraps. He had a bunch and said he wasn't using them so he gave the whole bag to me... thanks, fellow trail racing stranger!

I took some of the Endurolytes at an aid station, but somehow accidentally dumped the whole bag upside down. You see, desperate times call for desperate measures: I called on the 10 second rule. I picked each one of the ~12 of them out of the mud and kept/swallowed them.

I ate a salted potato at a few of the aid stations. One guy commented that they were a bit crunchy. It became the topic of conversation for at least a quarter mile with some other runners I left with from the aid station.

It's always funner to run a long distance WITH people, right? So I did for quite a ways. My secret goal (you know - the one you don't really tell a lot of people) was to run close to the course record, and if I could do that and hang out with people, that'd be awesome. I kind of realized somewhere around these miles that I'd need to take off, but it was way too nice to have some company on the run. Eh, I stuck around. Kelsey & I talked for a while and got some compliments (?!) from guys we passed on the trail who were excited that we were so energetic and chatty, too. This is what trail running's about!


Miles 30-37ish
Somewhere right after Hesitation Point (mile 29? 30?) we took a wrong turn after going down the fire road and headed BACK UP the trail to HP. Um, that's all uphill. She said we climbed for 15 minutes, according to her watch, and once we realized we'd gone the wrong way, it took another 10 minutes to backtrack. While I don't think it was that far, we were probably off by 1.5 miles by the time we rejoined the correct path. Our fault. I swear it's easier to get lost when you're with someone compared to when you're alone.

I turned on my cell phone at this time, because I knew my Garmin was about to die. It beeped for about 4 miles and then I lost it around mile 37. I started my Strava iphone app at mile 34ish, so I had a record of the rest of the run - and overlapping if needed.

It was at the "we're lost" point that I started feeling the heat to press on and move faster -- I felt just fine and was ok with pushing the pace. Kelsey & I got split up by some guys we passed, and I kinda quietly moved onward. I feel bad that I didn't have a chance to tell her I was gonna go ahead!

There was another trail marker I missed after this, too, and I mistaked it as the segment where you run on the road for a few miles. Rather than taking a left turn 100 yards later, I ended up going down the road pretty far... lol -- far enough that they had to send a car to come get me and tell me I wasn't going the right way. Another oops. Chalk up another mile? Stupid! I was so distracted by the Oreo I took "for the road" that I think I failed to see the trail marker. Even more embarrassing, this was the second time I ran this exact route of the trail.

Miles 37-50+ish
Proof. Miles you run alone are WAY harder than ones you run with people. I was counting down the miles and before a stupid uphill, muddy, steep climb, I was running on a horse trail and suspected I was going the wrong way. I turned around and asked a relay runner who was blindly following me 100 yards behind if he saw any flags that we'd missed. He glanced back, told me no, and so I kept going for another few minutes. Then I was positive we weren't going the right way. Turned around, and less than a few feet from where he was standing when I asked, "do you see any flags?" .... there was a flag. Duh -- another idiot moment!

I was glad to hit the decision point (6 miles to the finish) for the last time and be done with running. Miles were going by a lot slower than when I'd had a buddy, but it was also good that those last 6 miles were pretty flat/rolling enough that you could get going-- you know, no massive mud pits, climbs, or fallen trees to steeple over.

Ok, fast forward to the end and I didn't actually realize I was so close to the finish until I got dumped out right onto the ski hill. So there I was, first skiing in mud down the initial part of the ski hill, and then trying not to tumble the rest of the way down.

There were massive amounts of mud in the last bit after the ski hill. My feet had been wet - and stayed wet - since the first mile, but this time the mud was actually sticking and growing into a giant clump on my shoes. Then, I got into the creek. I've done this very same finish before, yet once in, I still was confused on where to go in the creek. I got out of the creek twice at the wrong spot before I figured out I needed to keep going... to the tune of 25 minutes to go that half mile. I can't even describe it.... I just stood there in thigh-high water, feeling so utterly confused! I knew I was extremely close to the finish, and still couldn't find the marker. My brain hardly works well during a 5 mile run, so multiply that by 10 and this is what I had to work with! ...Things just stopped making sense. I won't even try to explain the moments of dumb that hit me in those minutes.

Finish
Um, AWESOME!! There was so much noise and commotion at the finish line. It wasn't really until the END of the finish line when I figured out that all the energy was coming from none other than my favorite BARA crew!! Best feeling ever. Most of them had raced earlier in the day and had stuck around countless hours waiting for me and my forever-lost butt to finish. But I did, and they were all there! <3

RESULTS!
Results:

• Winner! I won my age group and took home a bucket, a pint glass, and a finisher medal. 
• 2nd female overall
• 14th of ~50 runners
• Time: 10:19

After
I really wanted take my socks and shoes off -- I wonder if it would have made any difference (chafing-wise) if I did this sock-less next time the trails are wet like this... wet socks are not that awful. My feet were prunes! This seems like a classic newbie trail runner mistake.

Thoughts

• My legs didn't feel nearly as beat up this time as they did during/after Rocky Raccoon. Softer ground?
• I'm really thankful to finish and not be broken; after the RR 50, I some aches and pains in my lower leg/foot that made it hard to walk. After this one, I'm doing perfectly ok! Scary enough, I felt like I could have kept going! I just didn't feel as spent as I did after last time (RR).
• Speaking of feeling spent, I hadn't run a lot of trails since March and the Boston Marathon. I felt like finishing was more uncertain this time, but (thank goodness!) everything worked out.
• Knowing where you're going is part of the challenge of trail running. I'm kicking myself for not paying attention.
• A good conversation > good playlist > nothing at all > pirate jokes
• NO FALLS. I did not fall once on this run!!!!! Sweet victory...!
• I'm really sad I didn't get ANY photos of this race - chances are, I would have destroyed my phone if I slipped and bit it on the muddy/wet trails.
• Speaking of phone: I took my phone out of my Flip Belt, since it'd been on and tracking my run since mile 34. You might not believe me when I say this, but I think the radiation or signal frequency (EMF radiation?) - something - did something to my back. It's not a chafing or raw skin issue; it actually hurts to the touch (and still does). It feels really bruised, yet flip belts don't move and jostle around, nor do they cause chafing. It's Monday and it still hurts like someone punched me in the lower back. Does anyone know anything about this? This has to be from my cell phone.... right??

Get more... race reports!

• Erin - 50k
• Chris - 50k (not public on FB)
• Maria - 50k (not public on FB)
• Chris - half (not public on FB)
• Christy - 50k
• Ben - 50 mile
• Yours...? Comment or email with your link!

Some Things - #2

Hey all! It's time again for SOME THINGS!

One more week down in the books. (It may be the running joke that this is intended for a Sunday post, but I just get around to it whenever. This format's totally workin' for me!)

1) Oh, Elkhart. 
Work kept me on the move again this week, and I was up in South Bend/Mishawaka/Elkhart half the week. The drive is my least favorite part.... it takes for-e-ver. After years of driving up there, I'm now getting the hang of it. Instead of the usual boring treadmill run and Chipotle dinner, now I run on the Notre Dame campus and hitting the Whole Foods hot bar. I'm a creature of habit.

The other night, I intended to run 10 miles on campus, and 3 miles in I started noticing "Run route --->"  signs and orange utility flags. And then 3 miles later, I ran into a group of people in some quad wearing running clothes and stretching. Turns out stumbled upon a random Tuesday night 5k fundraiser glow run hosted by a student group. After asking one of the students, she said that it was free to participate if I didn't want a t-shirt. So why not? I ended up running with an undergrad. It was really great to get in some miles without having to think about the route!

The next night after that, I got in a run on the trails at Potato Creek State Park. It was only ok. It was 85 degrees. It was flat. It was a mostly crushed gravel trail. It was like Eagle Creek. It was probably not worth the 30-minute drive from where I was staying. It was worth it for not having to run campus loops at ND again.

Everything looks better with Instagram!

2) Lentil soup.
Exciting!! I've been talking about making lentil soup for months so I finally did it. It is delicious. End of story.

3) Wedding madness.
Good weather's here, and that means it's wedding season!! The entire Bartley clan (minus Grandma) attended a wedding for a family friend. It was gorgeous... and not only was the food amazing, but they stole my heart with cupcakes.

Chocolate chip & Chocolate-carmel-sea-salt cupcakes from Gigi's

Ps- Have you ever seen Gigi's Cupcakes delivering around town (Indy)? It's a pastel pink van with a gigantic 3-foot tall/wide cupcake on top. You can't miss it... it's hard not to drool when I see it driving around town.

We clean up good!

 

4) Indy Mini.
Well, right before the wedding, Ben and I ran the Indy Mini. Ben ended up rolling with a 1:20 while pacing our friend Jeremy, and felt like he could have easily held the pace for another half marathon's worth.

Me? Check it:

I can't say it enough: Maffetone works! I set a new half marathon PR to match my new 5k best from a few weeks ago! This was 5 minutes better from my previous best (Indy Mini 2010, 1:31.45), running 1:26.38 this weekend. Back then, I was doing track workouts, weekly long runs, and pulling about 30-40 miles per week. And 6:30-pace was my 5k pace, not half marathon pace.

I ran as Craig, so this time won't go down as an official time for me personally... guess I gotta do it again! Crazy enough, even as a 57-year-old man, Craig didn't finish in the top 5 in his age group. In.sane. (Sorry buddy!) All I remember is that is was really windy.

Ben's post-race Instagram photo of me ended up on the Indy Star live blog of the event!

5) Pretending to be a Big Deal.
A bunch of us who are involved with the IU Run Club - but not actually a part of the college running club - were presented the Sagamore Awards at the Run Club's Year End Banquet on Monday night. It was pretty casual, and they are just such a fun, goofy, squatch-huntin' group. I love them! Our awards were framed, but we also got paper certificates that resembled race bibs. Cool idea! (Stealing it sometime...)

6) And because we can't finish a post without a puppy picture...
I took him on the B-Line the other day to learn how to obey commands with distractions. It kind of worked. The next step is learning how to/how not to greet visitors at the door -- both dogs have very bad manners! So anytime you're wanting to help out with training, we'd be glad to have you!