Three Things to Know When Running Solo On Trails

Few things compare to an amazing trail run-especially on back country mountain trails. While it’s easy to completely disconnect from everything around you while in the forest, it’s important to keep a few safety measures in mind. When I first started trail running I was terrified of running in the mountains alone (to be honest sometimes I still am a little anxious) but over time and with more experience I’ve grown to love the solitude of the trails. Here are three ways I’ve become more comfortable running in nature.

Be Aware

If you’re like me, you love listening to your favorite songs while running-especially during a workout. While music can make a workout more fun, it’s not always safe to run with headphones in. On roads I will almost always enjoy music with one earphone in but when it comes to trails it’s important to stay aware of your surroundings. If you must listen to music I would play softly from your phone-being respectful of those around you of course. It’s certainly important to keep your eyes on the trail to pick the best line, but glancing up and around every once in a while can help ensure you’re aware of any unwanted company.

Be Prepared

There are plenty of compact gadgets you can carry on your solo trail runs like a whistle or bear spray. While hopefully you will never find the need to use one it’s important for safety and peace of mind to be prepared. If I’m on a long solo trail run I’ll carry pepper spray in the front pocket of my hydration pack or simply in my hand for shorter efforts. I’ll always carry my phone, plenty of water, and a light weight jacket in my pack if I’m heading far out. In addition, I will always tell my husband where I plan to go and approximately how long I will be out. Strava, the running app I use, has a live tracking feature you can activate and send to up to three people if you're no particularly sure where your trail adventures may take you that day.

Be Relaxed

What’s the point of spending hours on the trails if you’re fearful the entire time? While it’s important to be prepared it's equally important to relax and have fun. You’d be surprised the amount of times I thought I saw a bear or mountain lion only to chuckle to myself when I realized it was a tree stump. Our minds like to play silly little tricks on us (especially during night running) so trust your abilities and enjoy your time disconnected in nature. The more familiar you are with certain trail systems the more comfortable you'll find yourself being. After all, remember you're more likely to drown in your bathtub than by a mountain lion, so relax and have some fun out there :)

Always be aware, prepared, and relaxed but most of all have fun! Enjoy flowing across the trails and away from the crazy of life. Happy running!

100 Mile Challenge!

Wow, that was a challenge for the books! The 4x2x50 was an incredible experience. I was very curious how 100 miles split into 25-4-mile routes would feel like both mentally and physically, and while it 100% had its difficult moments I’ve never felt so good running that far (shout out to DeWitt coaching for helping me prepare)! Like any long run or race I discovered many lessons and new things about myself that I’ll apply to future events-but three stood out in particular.

Positivity Goes A Long Way

While this wasn’t 100 miles in one fluid go, it was still incredibly challenging-perhaps more challenging than my 100-mile attempt in the fact you’re either running or getting ready to run for over two days. As you can expect, the excitement of the event quickly starts to fade as you get longer and longer into the run. One of my key goals for the challenge was to maintain a smile and sense of gratitude as much as I could. When I started to feel overwhelmed or exhausted, I would just start to smile-and it’s really hard to stay grumpy if you’re trotting along with a smile on your face. Of course, I probably looked like a complete idiot, but I was reminded quite frequently to tap into positivity and joy when the going got rough.

Break it Down

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s impossible to wrap your mind around running 100 miles. Whether it’s aid station to aid station or 4-mile sets, focus on the task right in front of you. I truly couldn’t believe how fast the 50 hours went. Whenever I started to feel overwhelmed, I would redirect my mind back to the mile I was in and focus on my stride and breath.

Just One More Step

Our minds are tricky little guys and want to protect us from doing silly things-like running 100 miles. However, our minds are also the most powerful tool we have to complete long distances. You can go so much further than your mind is telling you-in fact when your mind tells you to stop you’ve only accomplished 30% of what you’re capable of-hence how people can sprint at the end of a race when they didn’t think they could go one step further just moments before. By training your mind not to give in when it’s tough you can tap into a reserve of energy and determination you didn’t know you had. Whether it’s a mantra on repeat or little mind games you come up with, just know you have it in you to go one more step.

All it all it was an amazing 16 hours 43 minutes of running and I cannot wait to challenge myself in an official race soon!

Is Your Why Enough?Journey to 4x2x52

Walking into the new year I had great expectations for the upcoming ultra running season. With multiple ultras under my belt, including a 100 mile event, I was hopeful 2020 would bring new and exciting adventures…little did I know just what running challenges were in store.

With the onset of coronavirus, the racing scene was brought to a sudden hault, with almost all races cancelled-including worldwide events like Western States and UTMB. Now in the grand scheme of things running may sound quite trivial at a time like this, but anyone who finds joy in lacing up their shoes each day will quickly tell you, running is more than sport or exercise, it’s an identity. With each new email from race directors cancelling their events, I was forced to look inward. No longer did I have the motivation of a race right around the corner to push me forward when training became difficult, so I was intrigued when I heard Jason Koop, head ultra running coach at CTS, comment on the Billy Yang Podcast, that he's seen two types of ultra runners emerge from this pandemic. The first: one who quickly threw in the towel at the mention of cancelled races- realizing they are greatly motivated by upcoming events. The second: someone who put their head down, clocked the work anyway, knowing deep down inside it's more than just about the racing.

Your "why" for anything is truly brought to light during adversity. I'll admit, there have been many days, even races, where I wasn't sure of my why. Looking back I now think, was I someone who wanted to actually run ultra distances or someone who wanted to be known as someone who runs ultra distances. Regardless, with the onset of these peculiar times, I was quickly forced to figure out my why. Was I going to be someone who scaled back their training or someone who forged ahead to new adventures?

Hence, the 4x2x52 was born from the concept of David Goggins 4x4x48 challenge-run 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours for a total of 50 miles. Well, why not make something challenging just a bit more difficult...your why doesn't truly surface until you're not sure if you'll succeed after-all, right? So this coming Friday at 4 am. myself and two friends (we do hope we are still friends after this ha) will be setting out to run 4 miles every 2 hours for 52 hours bringing us to a total of 100 miles. With no more than an hour rest for over two days this challenge will certainly put our why to the test.

For me, I run because I love the challenge. I love not knowing if I can accomplish something. I love that feeling of not being able to go one step further...and then doing it. I love creating memories and stories of crazy mountain adventures. I love the solitude of nature and how it brings me closer to God. I used to think my why was to run races and get faster, but I've quickly realized... I run to feel alive.

You may not be trying to figure out your "why" for running, but everyone has a "why" for something. Why are you trying to climb the corporate ladder? Why do you want to start a family? Why do you hold certain beliefs? We're not put on earth to wake up Monday-Friday and simply go through the motions. Live a life that when someone asks the reason for your passions you can tell them"why". The root word of passion is suffering or enduring. So suffer hard, endure hard, live your "why" hard.

So if you're up at 2 am on Saturday or Sunday morning while we are running in the mountains testing our why, do something that challenges you...dare I say scares you. You might just surprise yourself how much good can come from crazy times. Happy running!