JFK 50 Mile Race Report

I’ll be honest, I came into this race feeling pretty confident. I mean, after UROC (iRF interview) I had a good reason to, but I definitely had to temper that feeling of invincibleness with the fact that both my other attempts at 50 miles had ended in a death slog to the finish. They were two and three years ago…
Read the rest here.

Charging Hard on the Towpath

A Vacation Run: Finding Familiarity in a Foreign Country

One of my husband and my favorite parts of vacation is running in a new place.  It is the perfect way to see the sights from a different perspective.  So when I planned my dream trip to Ireland recently, it seemed only natural that our running gear would go with us.  I would be celebrating my 50^th Birthday during our trip and decided I needed something special, (as if Ireland isn’t special enough,) to commemorate turning 50.  As I searched the usual festivals and events I came up with the idea of running a race in Ireland.  I became obsessed with finding something that fit our schedule.  I found the “almost” perfect 10K in Dublin, “The Great Pink Run”.  Like a lot of you, I love participating in a run for a charity that has a personal connection.   Almost perfect because it was taking place the day we had planned to arrive in Dublin.  Since I had not booked our flights yet I decided we could be flexible.   Actually my husband would not agree with that statement, since he had to change his vacation request to accommodate my new “I have to do this or my Birthday will be ruined” idea!

Needless to say schedules were changed and we landed in Dublin 2 days prior to race day.  We were so busy sightseeing and enjoying the Guinness, those 2 days went by quickly.  Since we didn’t have a car our 1^st challenge was getting to the start soon enough.  The day started rainy and windy so naturally we had our very sturdy raincoats on.  As we stood at the bus stop trying to figure out the best route, a man approached asking if we needed help.  Thinking we were being very discreet about our dilemma, I asked him how he knew we were tourists.  Oddly enough it was our raincoats; he said Irish people don’t wear “raincoats”.  I said, “Doesn’t it rain almost every day?”  He said, “Well, we don’t stand in the rain”, fair enough!  He then proceeded to get us on the right bus and directed us to the tram stop that would take us the race start. 

As we waited, the sea of pink told us we were indeed heading in the right direction.  But, from this point on we realized we had not arrived soon enough.   While Steve got in the packet pick-up line (apparently we missed PPU the day before, I blame the Guinness) I started off in the direction of the dreaded outhouse line.   I had good reason to dread it; the line was the longest I have ever seen at a run.  Fortunately the rain had stopped, but it was chilly.  This was the 2^nd year for this event and the 3000+ entries were clearly beyond what the organizers expected.    The start was delayed 40 minutes because of the “Loo” line.

As a fan of local races I was really looking forward to seeing what might be different about a race in a foreign country.   The crowds were great, the swag bag was familiar, and attendance for the awards was non-existent.   Turns out it was such a similar experience that I could have been right here in Bend.   Unfortunately for Steve, the biggest difference was the lack of post-race festive beverages.   He said, and I quote (the PG version), “We are in Ireland and there’s no beer?”   All in all it was a fun event to be a part of.  I went looking for a race in a foreign country for the new experience.   Oddly enough I came away feeling comforted by the familiarity and the unity with which running brings people together!

Written By FootZone staff member: Melanie Mangin

 

 

Want to share a local Bend run with your favorite out-of-towners? Bring them to I Like Pie on Thanksgiving Day and look for a race on your next trip!

On A Roll: The Benefits Of Foam Rolling

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all had a bodywork specialist on call to knead our sore, tight, overworked muscles and fascia (our body’s web of connective tissue)?  Most of us don’t so, thankfully, there’s an alternative that you can do anytime in the comfort of your own home.  Using your own body weight and a cylindrical piece of foam, you can perform self-myofascial release (SMR), ironing out tight spots in your fascia and improving circulation and neurological responses in your soft tissues.

SMR has become a staple for both activity preparation and recovery for elite athletes to weekend warriors alike.  Foam rollers are an inexpensive and effective tool of choice for SMR to: improve flexibility and joint range of motion; correct muscle imbalances and alignment; minimize joint stress; reduce scar tissue accumulation and adhesions; decrease tight or overly toned muscle tissue; relieve muscle soreness and expedite recovery; and maintain normal functional muscular length.  All of this helps prevent (or rehab) an injury AND ultimately increase performance! 

The primary goal is to restore your load bearing joints to neutral alignment - a position where they are strongest, least at odds with gravity, most resilient, and able to produce the most force when called upon to do so.

 Like stretching, foam rolling doesn't yield marked improvements overnight although you’ll definitely notice immediate benefits.  The true results of foam rolling come if you stick with it.  The first couple of weeks of foam roller therapy more than likely will be uncomfortable (other less publishable descriptive words have been used) and, of course, can be a deterrent. But it can also “hurt so good”.   Keep rolling and I promise you the payoff is well worth it.  If you use the foam roller regularly, every day or every two to three days, within a couple of weeks you will begin to notice not only does the experience not hurt as much but also it will begin to feel really good like a nice deep tissue massage.  Then begin to notice how you feel during and after your runs, too.  That is when you will realize the health benefits the most. 

SMR is safe and effective for most populations with proper guidance by a trained professional.  Those recently injured or with chronic pain disease (such as fibromyalgia) or a circulatory problem should first consult a doctor. 

There is no universal agreement on when to roll, how often to roll, or how long to roll, but generally, techniques are used both before and after a workout. Foam rolling prior to a workout can help decrease muscle density, improve alignment and functional movement, and promote a better warm-up. Rolling after a workout may help muscles recover faster from strenuous exercise.  One treatment plan does not fit all so always listen to your body first.

Don’t know where to start or just need a little reminder?  The monthly FootZone FoamRoller Clinic is this Saturday, November 17^th, at 8:45am.  It is a one hour introduction to Rolling for Runners guided by Ashleigh Mitchell, certified Pilates teacher specializing is self-myofascial release techniques.

Class is limited to 15 people so please register in advance at the FootZone for $5 to hold your spot.  Bring a yoga mat if you have one. Foam rollers are not provided so bring your foam roller if you have one, or purchase one at FootZone with a $5 discount for participants.

 

Written by Ashleigh Mitchell

 

Becoming a Runner: Dirty Happy Girls Race Report

Running a half marathon for this beginning runner was foremost an enlightening experience.  My relationship with running first started for me two years ago when I moved to Bend, OR and my husband had to coax me to run a block. Through the support of my co-worker Jenn Smith, last Christmas Jingle Bell run marked my first 5k and my first 10k was Happy Girls Relay in spring of 2012.  In light of my thirtieth birthday recently passing and the realization that my times were not going to win me Olympic medals anytime soon, I decided it was time to work on a new goal for myself, up the ante and run a half marathon.  Knowing that I would have difficulty running longer distance runs on my own and that my sweet husband would not always be able to endure mile pace that is quite a bit slower than his, I decided it would be a great opportunity to join the half marathon training group at Foot Zone.

The support of my pace group leader, Nikki Cheney, and the Half Marathon group leader Caitlin Mastenbroek, along with the members of the group motivated me and kept me going as we upped our mileage. 

Even though the night before Happy Dirty Girls Half came quickly, the following morning came even faster.  That morning I did my best to eat my routine “race day” breakfast and then I set off to Sisters to meet my running friends.  I arrived and my nerves continued to plague me; we took the bus to the starting line and before I had time to think about it, we were off! As soon as we got going, I tossed aside my previous knowledge and made the new runner mistake of letting my excitement get the best of me.  I started too fast.  At mile three I felt a little dizzy and pulled over to regain my composure.

This is where it became an interesting mental game for me.  Realizing that though I had the support of my running group, it was up to me to keep myself going.  I decided I needed a plan; on previous training runs I had broken my mileage up into increments of three miles, so this would be my new strategy.   I ate a few chews, drank some water and began again.   

 

Mile six came and went in a blurr, followed by mile nine, and then mile twelve.  This point marked the farthest distance I had ever run. Muscle cramps started to set in and the only thing that kept me going at this point were the smiles and support of the women around me; my husband at the finish line; and finishing what I had set out to do; run 13.1 miles.  I crossed the finish line and was happy to be greeted by the support of our running group and cheer on other finishers. 

I did not know how to feel when crossing the finish line.  I had not accomplished my goal time and had not quite been on my game that day.  As the day went on and I analyzed what I could have done differently and realized I was missing the whole purpose of what I had set out to do.  Running a half marathon was my goal and I did it!  Along with this accomplishment I met wonderful people and learned that I was much more capable than I had imagined.  No longer am I the newcomer to Bend who can breathlessly run less than a half a block, but I am thirty -year old woman who can run 13.1 miles!!!

Written by:Alanna McGlone
2012 Happy Dirty Girls Race Results

Race Report: Silver Falls Trail Marathon & Half Marathon

This is the third year for the half marathon event, and the first for the full marathon. It was a staggered start with the marathon going off at 8:30, and the half at 9 am. The first 5 miles are the same for both races and initially makes a loop, coming back very near the start at about 3.5 miles or so, which is nice for any friends or family that might be along for support. There is some pavement for the first mile or so, allowing for runners to spread out a bit before hitting the trail. Otherwise, you are running through some beautiful forest with plenty of color still around.

The marathon course branches off around Mile 5.5 on to the Perimeter Trail to hit the backcountry area of the park. In all, we made a 14 mile loop that included several climbs, the first starting around mile 6-7. This part of the course was challenging to say the least. In addition to lots of hills, there was a bonafide river crossing, lots of mud, puddles, rocks, roots, and bombing downhills. It was also pretty slippery between the mud and fallen giant maple leaves on the trail.

At mile 19.5 the courses rejoin for the remainder of each race and this is where you reap the reward; all the waterfalls! The course runs by several stunning falls, and even behind a few! There are some nice flats and downhills through here, but don't be fooled, as there are lots of stairs and a nice uphill in the last mile. The last half mile or so is kind to all, with a nice downhill, then scenic bridge crossing into the finish area. It was nice that so many of the racers from both races were hanging around to cheer the later marathoners coming in.

The post-race environment was fun, with the fire still going in the shelter house. A pretty good spread of peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and hot chili was included, along with water, Heed, and some hot drinks as well.

The Half Marathon awards ceremony was held in a timely fashion after most racers were in, with a separate Marathon ceremony held later. Both offered an abundant raffle for all racers, with some cool schwag given away.

Despite a little rain at the start, the weather ended up being pretty ideal, with temps in the upper 50's, and varied conditions of fog and mist, and some very brief sunshine. This, against the back drop of some spectacular just-past peak colors, made for a beautiful morning of trail running.

Some other tips...Take the exit for Sublimity off of Hwy 22, rather that going to the official Silver Falls State Park exit, seems like it would save a few minutes. Also, if you have both half and full marathoners in your group like we did, we suggest throwing in some lawn chairs for waiting around, and maybe bringing your own post-race beverages. At this time of year, be prepared for wet conditions, and have a dry set of warm clothes to change in to as well. A pair of water proof shoes for after would be good too.

All in all, this is a gem of an event and we had blast! Bend was well-represented and it was a great day for everyone!

Written by: Kathy Lein with contributions from Stephanie Waritz and Jennefer Lloyd

 

Max King Night

This is my first official Footzone Blog post of the new improved Footzone blog.

This Thursday at 7pm I’ll be fortunate enough to stand up in the Footzone and run through all I’ve been fortunate enough to accomplish this year and also what I’ve learned from what went right and what went wrong.  While these things, specifically if it’s called “Max King Night” make me nervous because I find it unnerving to talk about myself, I’ll do my best to take you through a year filled with ups and downs, far away trips and a variety of races and events. I can talk training all night long and will probably have a tendency to go that direction during the talk but I’ll try to stay on topic as much as possible. 

Gorge Waterfalls 50k

Grand Canyon Photoshoot

Through photos, video, and stories I’ll take you through my year from the Olympic Trials, to Spain, mountain running, and my first 100k. I’ll share photos from the Canary Islands and Zegama, Spain where I had a horrible race but also learned that if there is 5 inches of mud on the course then a road shoe is woefully inadequate. I’ll share how to train to have your best Olympic Trials in only 6 workouts, by the way, not recommended, but it seemed to work. I’ll tell you how to run both a 3k steeplechase and a 100k in the same summer. I’ve got some brand new photo and video footage that no one has ever seen, not even me, so I hope it’s good.

Come on out on Thursday at 7pm and I’ll do my best to entertain for an evening at the Footzone. Since I’m also pretty indecisive, if you’d like to have a hand in what I do next, I’ll probably be taking suggestions on what I should do next year. 

Zegama Marathon Spain

After Zegama Marathon

Olympic Trials Steeplechase 2012

I LIKE PIE 2012

Yes, indeed!

I Like Pie

Thanksgiving Day will bring the 5^th annual I Like Pie run and walk.  This is not a race, just a social Thanksgiving morning fun run/walk where you get a piece of pie at the end.

The Course

yumm, pie!

We leave from behind the FootZone, run down the alley, across Greenwood Ave, past the old Parks and Rec building, take a left on Portland Ave and head to the 1^st Street river trail.  You can turn around wherever you like but we’ll mark 2k, 5k, 10k and if you run all the way to the green gate and back, that’s 10miles. 

The Sign Up Weekend

Get festive if you like

November 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th we’ll host a special sign up weekend here at FootZone.  All donations to NeighborImpact this weekend will be matched up to $500 (t-shirt sales don’t count).  Plus… we’ll have the t-shirts here so you can try check them out, try them on  And… if you donate $10 or more to Neighbor Impact with your entry, you can take your shirt right then and there (instead of waiting until the day before Thanksgiving).   Obviously, you still have to buy your T-shirt on top of the donation.  Yes, these are all shameless ploys to get more cash in the hands of NeighborImpact. 

The T-Shirts

Women’s specific: we’re using the same style/cut that we have the past two years.  It’s called the Bella Favorite tee and people love this shirt, but it run’s really small.  That’s why we are staying with it because hopefully you know how it fits now and you can adjust accordingly. 

Men’s/Unisex:  we’re changing to a more normal fitting, 50/50 blend.  It’s the same shirt SuperDave has used as a volunteer shirt and we all love it (so hope you will to).  It feels great, fits great, doesn’t shrink, etc.  Not quite as soft as the ladies tee but we’re men so deal with it.

Kid’s Tee:  This one wasn’t on the flyer and is a bit under the radar but due to popular demand we will have some kids tees available in a youth small, medium, and large.  Same price as the adults and you can check them out on the sign up weekend.

Fun for the whole family!

The Cause…

Howdy, Pilgrim

Neighbor Impact gets every dollar that comes to this event other than what we have to pay for the t-shirts, porta potties, insurance, permits, supplies (forks, napkins, etc) and the $500 we contribute to the Bend High Culinary program for their help with the Pie Baking Contest.  The entry fee for this event is a donation to Neighbor Impact (we are able to cover all expenses with the t-shirt sales).  So, technically, you can participate for free if you want.  Of course we (and Neighbor Impact) would appreciate if you offered up a little donation.  Ideally, do it when you sign up.  We will also have a donation jar out there morning of.  Last year we (you) raised $5800 for NeighborImpact.

The Food Drive-

We ask every participant to bring 5 lbs of food for Neighbor Impact the morning of the event.  There will be a big truck directly behind the FootZone/Tower Theater.  Last year you brought almost 4000lbs of food.  Can we top that this year???

The Pie

We don't let this guy come any more (kidding).

choosing can be tough

no shortage of pie

Please consider bringing a pie to help feed the masses and possibly enter it in the pie baking contest.  You get to choose whether or not your pie is judged.  Sweet Home Alamode is taking over the Pie Baking Contest along with the Bend High Culinary Program.  They will break the pies up into categories and quickly pick a winner from each (that person gets a FZ gift certificate).  When you get back from your jaunt, we’ll have a piece of pie waiting for you! 

the man, the myth

Thanks to SuperDave

I Like Pie was SuperDave’s brain child.  Dave has good ideas and we’re thankful for them (and him).  Let’s face it, we didn’t really have anything going on Thanksgiving morning anyway;-)  Thanks SD.

Other Thanksgiving Day Runs

When I Like Pie started, it was the only Thanksgiving Day gig in town.  Now there are a few others and contrary to what many believe, we applaud that!  ILP isn’t for everyone and options are always good.  If you are looking for something else, we strongly encourage you to do the GBCCO Turkey Trot.  It’s down in the Old Mill and a great benefit for Girls on the Run and the Boys and Girls Club. http://www.footzonebend.com/events/bgcco-turkey-trot   Another great option is the Black Butte Turkey Trot.

Wanna Help??

Email teague@footzonebend.com and I’ll find a place for you.