Oh my, it’s been a while!  The writing fell by the wayside last spring as I managed to get myself back on top of things with my research, and I’m actually in a pretty good place with that right now!  Unfortunately, my 2016 race season didn’t go as I had hoped, but I still enjoyed myself anyway.

For the Dirty 30 50k, I was having a fantastic day and was on track for a great PR, but my running partner ended up dangerously sick and it wasn’t safe to leave her on the trail alone and continue on myself.  Fortunately she was okay and we got her back to medical safely.  After that, it was time for the Grand Circle Capitol Reef 50 M, which was beautiful and HARD, and had pretty aggressive cutoffs.  I made it to mile 30-something and felt fine but the course was almost entirely uphills and the few bits of downhill were extremely technical, so it was slow going and I missed the cutoff.  It was still a beautiful and fun day, nonetheless.  Shortly after that was my one victory of the season – the first leg of the Rugged Running relay team at the Colorado 200!  This race was an absolute blast.  I originally intended to just volunteer since my coach, Michele Yates, is the race director.  But at the last minute one of the relay runners had an injury, so I hopped in and took the 20 mile first leg.  It was beautiful!  My relay leg wasn’t too crazy – the more intense climbs and breathtaking views are later in the race.  But it was still fun and challenging, and I loved every minute of it.  Not to mention, my team was totally awesome and had some really incredible and inspiring women on it!  I’m honored to have run with them.  After my leg of the relay I resumed my volunteer duties at the aid stations, and had a blast there as well.  Everyone at this race was excellent – the runners and their crews, the medical team, and the volunteers.  I can’t wait to be back again in 2017.

The CO 200 course

And then it was time for the Run Rabbit Run 100.  And yet again, life got in the way.  In 2015, I injured my ankle the week before the race and was unable to go more than 10 or so miles on it by race day.  This year, I had just returned from fieldwork in Iceland and got miserably sick (totally blaming my adviser for this one, since he had the same thing while we were in Iceland) with some plague-flu hybrid, and spent two and a half weeks – including race day – absolutely miserable.  So that was that.

2016 – not what I had planned, but still a pretty good year overall when it comes to running.

Now it’s time to look ahead to 2017!