Michelle Runs With It

  Everything was going fantastic … until it wasn’t. Last minute, I decided to attempt a 50k PR of under 6 hours (I know that’s not fast for most but for me it is). I knew the course was long, more like 32 miles. The first 20 miles, I kept at a great pace and super speedy for me. I enjoyed the solitude, scenery and runnable course. There were only 4 aid stations so I had to simultaneously eat a lot, but keep it moving. At about mile 22, my right shin flared up a bit. I’ve never had shin pain before until the last week. Fortunately, the soft muddy ground kept it tolerable. The sun came out and I warmed up quickly. I ate all of my salt chews, Gu, and drank water regularly. I ran mostly solo as I tried to run my own race and not get in anyone else’s groove but my own. This was not easy for me, I love to chat and make new runner friends! Two runners got in my head about the distance of the 50k being closer to 33.5-34 miles and the last miles around Clopper Lake being the most challengin...

  Superb Owl LIX Sunday!! “Kicked” it off with  Baltimore Road Runners Club  Super Bowl Trail 7-miler through the gorgeous, hilly trails of Cromwell Valley Park!! I’ve raced these trails 4 other times - 3x in the dark. This was the first on icy mud/leaves/rocks but was surprisingly my fastest! BBQ pulled pork sandwiches at the end were delicious! Grateful for friends who love starting the day in the woods!!

I heard about this race a couple years ago on a trail FB group. It honors an incredible 44-year old woman who ran over 300 marathons and ultras who was taken too soon after battling breast cancer. These were some of the nicest runners!! This “fat ass” (or self-supported) race had 3 distances - 50k was free, and 24-hours and 100-mile races were very affordable. Runners traveled from all over the country to run the only 100-miler in Delaware, including a Jester from California :) We ran with some wonderful folks, including Mike who will be at my big race in June, a couple we met at Fire On the Mountain, a gentleman from Missouri with a lovely Irish accent, and the RD Jon who was so friendly. He continuously encouraged us to run more loops to get to 50 miles. After slipping and sliding for 32 miles, we were good! So grateful for Lori’s company, who always makes the miles fly by, doesn’t mind walking, taking photos, enjoys forest bathing, and so eloquently describes what we both needed tod...

  1.18.25 ❄️Icy PHUNT❄️ Such a PHUN day at PHUNT with so many PHRIENDS!! This has become one of my favorite races - from Carl’s emails & posts, voluncheering, the DJ playing “Highway to Hell” at go-time, the super fun aid stations with photo ops, fire-pit, all the ultra treats (like bacon pancakes, pierogis, tots, quesadillas, potatoes, home baked peanut butter cookies, chocolate covered coffee beans, and more), and an epic gathering of the best running community - I love getting to see so many friends and always LOVE meeting new ones!! This year, the trails were icy and I opted for Yak Trax on my Cliftons. Felt so safe from slipping that I ran fast. However, after about 5 miles the straps were pushing down on my toe nails and my feet were hurting!! I enjoyed conversations with Vanessa and Jon, Matt, and Alissa for the final couple miles. Grateful for Matt for capturing a photo of me running as proof that I do more than talk & eat 🤣 Another runner gave me an idea for next ...

  11.16.24 Historic Drawbridge Half Marathon My second pacing gig with Beast pacing  and first half marathon distance pacing was PHENOMENAL! This low key, flat, beautiful and windy race attracts runners from all over the east coast. This year they introduced the marathon distance and I had the privilege of running with both half & full marathoners at the 2:30/5:00 pace, including Vanessa Kline  and another runner, Coop, who I met at Fire On the Mountain 50k  a couple weeks ago. The beauty of pacing is that you get to experience a PR/PB all over again for others!! We shared stories, laughs, goals and I got to see them take off the last mile to accomplish what they set out to do!! Thank you to Revolution3  for a wonderful race and CONGRATS to all runners!!

11.3.24 Fire on the Mountain 50k ⛰️ Today began at 4am with a drive to Green Ridge State Forest for a run with friends. The 7am start aligned perfectly with the sunrise over a misty Potomac River. The course was challenging and had us rock scrambling along high ledges and holding on to tree roots for dear life. It was part terrifying, part beautiful and I loved every ankle-rolling, quad-burning, finger nail-clinging bit of it. Thank you Lori, Dylan,  @2lowerunco  and all of the amazing volunteers for a truly unforgettable adventure! And now a poem: An Ode to a Scathing Sound Love the leaves in the trees. Then they fall and crunch beneath my feet, And hide the roots and rocks that batter my knees, I hate you, leaves. Asking your friend if she’d do it again at the turnaround aka “The Oasis” is apparently like asking if you want another child halfway through childbirth 🤣 I’ll wait a couple days.

09.20-09.21.24 Pemberton24 It’s more than a 5k (5.2k this year)! It’s the craziest time of year and the madness that is Pemberton seems to fit right in! After last year’s smaller event due to postponement from a hurricane, Pemberton, Trent & Volunteers came back with a bang! 🏃🏽‍♀️450 AMAZING Runners The largest crowd to date. Team entries sold out and the most individual runners ever. Lots of fast runners, lots of walkers, and lots of kids! While all had different goals, everyone was supportive, friendly, and were willing to chat & cheer for each other. It felt like family! 👊🏾Volunteers THANK YOU!!! From the guy who made new timing wrist bands, to the food/fuel/PANCAKE BACON TACOS makers, to the homemade banana bread baker, to DJ Gabe keeping us all dancing (and awake in Tent City), to the EMT bandaging us up, to the FIST BUMP GUY after every single 5k, to photographers who captured some really weird shit, to the campfire wood delivery dudes, to Trent for making this event ...