Skip to main content

Algonquin 50k.


Ain’t no party like an Algonquin Party, cause an Algonquin Party don’t stop!

The Algonquin 50k is the OG of Trent Swanson and Algonquin Ultras and while it was intimidating as hell to sign up, I’m so glad I did!

This community is unlike any other I’ve experienced in running and there’s no question that it’s because of the slightly twisted yet huge-hearted leadership of its RD!




🌱The Course: Pocomoke Forest was beautiful! Very flat. Oh so flat. 341 ft elevation over 32.5 miles flat, which was deceptive. It makes you want to fly but the soft sand, mud, thick briers, pine cones, and roots present quite the challenge! Fortunately, we had a warm, mostly dry and sunny day, so the puddles were few and far between.



🎉 The Parties aka Aid Stations: Fully stocked in all things potato, salty and sweet, pickle (clear pickle juice?!), Smith Island Cake (!!), fried cornbread, Fireball if you so dare, and a tiki hut at mile 10 with orange crushes, margaritas, beer and Red Bull!




🤩 Voluncheers: The absolute most enthusiastic, upbeat, FUN, accommodating volunteers from packet pickup, to race day, to park rangers, to post race eats & treats and everyone in between - THANK YOU!! The volunteers at every aid stations were ready to help - fill your reusable cups, handed you whatever fuel you asked for, held your layers of sweaty clothes, played the best music, took photos, dressed up, including Chewbacca, and made you feel like a rockstar even when you might have looked otherwise. They also told you to get the hell outta there!


❤️ Other Runners: This race was full of JOYFUL runners! Smiling faces and words of encouragement along the trails were so motivating! I love with each trail race you meet more and more incredibly kind and supportive runners! Even if some of those joyful runners were on the struggle bus (aren’t we all at some point), they still cheered or smiled or passed a knowingly glance of “you got this!” along.




Thank you, Trent, Volunteers, Park Rangers, local police and their horses, and all the runners who keep showing up and moving forward - Y’ALL ROCK!!!










Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bull Run Run 50-miler

Official Time: 12:31:31 ( a 50-miler PR) I did it. I’m not sure how, but I crossed the finish line yesterday of the Bull Run Run 50-miler. It had been an intimidating race from the moment I shared with others who had run it in the past. I heard all sorts of stories - the infamous Do Loop, the rolling hills, the unpredictable weather, the tough cutoff, the rocky sections that might trip you up later on. I also heard about how it was one of the most beautiful races with the BEST volunteers. I chose to keep the latter in my mind!  Although the “BRR” makes me think of cold weather, and years past it has snowed and stormed and apparently gone through all 4 seasons in a day one year, yesterday’s weather was not what anybody was prepared for. It was hot and humid with cloud coverage most of the day … until the sun came out at 3:30pm and scorched your left side as you ran along the waterline of Occoquan River.  It being early April, I was not acclimated to 90% humidity. For a few mile...
Post a Comment
Read more

Saying No is Strength

Yesterday, I received the invitation I had been waiting for 5 months. I already knew what I was going to do but seeing that I had now been officially given an opportunity to Accept or Decline was surreal. I paused. All of the reasons why this is not the right time for me completely left my mind. I wanted so badly to click the green button.  Unpause. The mystique of the Laurel Highlands Ultra must have something to do with the logistics just as much as the distance (70.5 miles). A point-to-point race with a finish in a small town of 1 hotel. It takes place the same time as another event, making it nearly impossible to find any affordable accommodations. Someone posted a Seven Springs condo for 12 people at $419/night. I asked about any camping options, and the RD never responded. Camping wouldn't be ideal anyways. But to pay nearly $1000 for 2 nights when I would sleep maybe 8 hours total Friday night through Sunday morning, seems ridiculous. Remembering this, I then pressed the red...
Post a Comment
Read more

26.TRUE Marathon

If you ever lose faith in humanity, go experience the 26.TRUE Marathon in Boston. It’s diverse, it’s supportive, it’s accepting, it’s JOY … it’s what this world needs and everything we want to raise our daughter to embrace, to spread and to be. The vibes Pioneers Run Crew brought on Saturday were fire!! Running is an intimidating sport. It can make you think you have to be a certain body type, have the right gear, be a certain speed, and live somewhere safe or have $ for a treadmill or gym membership. Running is supposed to be inclusive and bring joy, make you feel worthy just the way and where you are.  After hearing about this event from Alison M. Desir's book "Running While Black," I began following the Pioneers Run Crew on Instagram. Alison talks a lot about the exclusivity of the sport. Races that require qualifying times, ridiculous registration fees, routes that intentionally avoid certain neighborhoods, and not seeing yourself reflected in photos, social media and...
Post a Comment
Read more