Fast forward to 2018. I set an alarm in my phone to sign up for Zane Grey as soon as registration opened. I did exactly that. I had a decent training block from December to February and I ran the Black Canyon 100k in February as a training race. I injured my left IT band that day because of the net downhill course and distance. I knew that I had not done enough downhill training but I did not realize that I had also neglected my hips during my strength training. Long distances will always show you your weaknesses and this was a lesson I would learn the hard way.
I rested, increased strength training, foam rolled, cross trained, and stretched. Yet I still spent all of March running with pain in my left knee. After a longish training run in the Hualapai mountains four weeks out from Zane Grey, I ended up hobbling my way back down the trail to my truck with tears of frustration streaming down my face. I thought that I was going to have to pull out of Zane Grey. You might be thinking, "Oh my goodness, it is just a race." You would be correct. In the big picture it is just a race. I am grateful every day to be able to run. Some cannot and it is not by choice. But when you put in a significant amount of work towards a goal and it is falling apart it is okay to be upset. For some of us it is more than just the race. Our running is how we stay sane.
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| This big guy is my training partner, Chipper Chance. Even when I can only hobble he is by my side. |
I contacted Coach Emily (Harrison) Torrence from Sundog Running who had written my Zane Grey training plan for me. She gave me some recommendations to add to what I was already doing. The combination of everything took discipline, patience, and a lot of trusting in the process but it worked. My mileage and vertical training was low, but 3 weeks later I was pain free and feeling strong. I decided to show up to the starting line after all with my husband, Jeremy, and our son, Bren, as my crew.
The race started at 5am on Saturday, April 28, 2018. We headed out from our hotel in Payson before 4am. We parked near the start area. It was at that point that I realized we had left my drop bags for the race back in the hotel room that was 30 minutes away from the starting line. The race was starting in 30 minutes. "Whatever," I thought, "We have the crew bag and my hydration pack so it's all good." This was not a game changer for this race on this day. Adjust and move on. Jeremy and Bren were both worried but I reassured them it would be okay. They would have the crew bag, ice, and my snacks with them. If for some reason they couldn't make it to an aid station, I would survive.
I hung out with my family just behind the start chute because I planned to start in the back and just run my own race all day. I had no time goal other than sub-16 hours which is the final cutoff and if I was feeling good at the end to finish strong. I was standing there fresh off an injury with very low mileage and vert volume. I knew the mountains would chew me up and spit me out if I did not respect them.
I saw people start running and I gave my boys one last hug and kiss before I headed out. The first couple of miles were on a mellow forestry road which made for a nice warm up. I realized how quiet it was around me after a minute and I looked behind me and it was dark. No headlamps. No one was there. I was dead last. It was surreal and it was peaceful. I smiled because I was so damn happy to be out there. Then all of a sudden I heard footsteps come up behind me. It turned out I wasn't dead last after all.
We turned onto a bike path that ran along the rim. The sun was up by now and the views of pines and mountains were boundless. I could see the sheer drops from the cliff edges on the rim about 6 feet away from me on my right side. After that we hit the single track and started descending down the rim. This part was technical and I was a bit anxious because of the steep grades because I knew that could agitate my IT band. I have been working on not worrying so much in all aspects of life and I figured this was a really good time to practice focusing on what I can control. I just focused on foot placement, form, hydration, nutrition, and taking it easy.
I made it to the 260 Trailhead aid station around mile 7 where I knew my friend, Erin, would be. Not only was Erin there but my friend, Wendy, was there too because she was crewing three runners. I loved seeing both of their beautiful smiles! I took off my layers there, topped off my water and moved on.
It would be another 7 miles before the See Canyon aid station where my boys were meeting me. I was cruising along and arrived in good time. I couldn't find them though so I just went to the aid station table to restock on water and grab some food. It was at that point that I saw my friend, Melissa, who was there crewing her husband, Deron. Another beautiful smile and friendly face! Jeremy and Bren were there after all and we threw ice in my bandana that goes around my neck and ice in my hat. I also filled up my extra water bottle that I had brought to dump water on head, neck and chest if I started to get to warm.
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| See Canyon AS Photo Credit: Melissa Ruse |
The next stretch would be 12 miles to the Fish Hatchery aid station at mile 26. This stretch had a lot of steep ups and downs and some exposed areas. I knew this was going to be rougher going back through it later in the heat of the day. "Focus on the present," I told myself. This section was fun but it was difficult to find any kind of rhythm. I focused on moving efficiently and staying on top of my hydration and nutrition. I also made a point to dip my hat in every creek crossing we came to!
This was an out and back course this year because of the wild fires that had damaged parts of the original course. I knew the front runners would be heading back towards us mid to back of the packers around this time. Sure enough the first runner, Charlie Ware, came running by. He was super focused and running hard. A few minutes later I saw another runner come flying down a swooping descent and realized it was Coach James Bonnett! He had coached me in 2015/2016 and is the camp director for the AZ Distance Camp. I didn't know he was running in the race. I said, "Look who it is!!!" He had a huge smile on his face and gave me a high five as he passed. He looked strong. So many gorgeous smiles and strong people on this fine day.
I saw the lead women and they were encouraging us as they flew by us heading back towards the finish. About a 1/4 mile from the Fish Hatchery AS there was a couple riding horses with a third horse following them on the trail. Another runner and I came up behind them at a creek crossing. The couple stopped to let their horses drink which blocked us from crossing. We waited for them to move on and after the first two horses did it was time for the third one to take her drink. She was an older mare and it took her a little longer to drink. She let us pass her but then she was ready to move on to catch up to the other horses. I moved over to let her pass. She hesitated as she came up next to me and made eye contact. I told her that it was okay and to go ahead. She did that cute horse nod thing and went trotting past us.
That 12 miles was a long stretch so it was great to see my boys at the AS! Chris Thornley from Squirrel's Nut Butter was the aid station captain again. It is always nice to see him. He is a great guy! I mentioned to Jeremy that my leg had started kind of twinging but no pain at this point. We restocked my ice and I ate quite a few Snack 'Em pickles and drank some pickle juice. So good!
I gave my boys hugs and kisses and headed up to the AS table to fill my water bottles and bladder before I headed out. Bren had been refilling my water bottles at the aid stations but the way this AS was set up I would pass the water table on the way out so I just took care of them myself. Someone walked up to me while I was working on taking the lids off and said, "Can I fill those up for you or help you with something?" I looked up and saw a USA leotard partially unzipped exposing part of a man's chest. I thought, "Am I hallucinating?" I continued my gaze upwards and saw a kick ass mustache partially covering another amazing smile. It was at that moment that I realized it was Eric Senseman in his USA leotard suit that he wears sometimes. YASSSSSS!!! He is an elite endurance athlete who I follow on social media and I have seen this suit online. But seeing it in person was excellent!
I headed back out onto that same 12-mile portion that I had just covered to head back to the See Canyon AS. I knew this was going to be a tough portion because it was getting warm out and there with none to very little cloud coverage. By mile 30 my IT band was starting to bark at me. I thought, "Ugh, please no!"
Around mile 35 I started running low on water and had to ration what I had which meant I could not take in my calories as planned for about a hour or so. That doesn't seem like much but when you are running these distances, messing up on your nutrition and hydration can be a game changer. "Stay calm and play it smart," I said aloud.
I kept taking my electrolytes as planned and sipping water. My IT band was still barking at me and was starting to pull on my hamstring. That scared me. I didn't want to leave this race with another injury! But I didn't want to drop either. I took a couple of breaks in the shade to stretch my back and to cool down. I did quite a bit of alternating hiking/running for the last 3 miles to the AS to ensure I made it back safely. When I arrived I had one sip left in my last water bottle, my heart rate was high, I was low on calories, definitely about to bonk hard, and my leg hurt. I really didn't like how it was pulling on my hamstring. I needed to talk to Jeremy. We had specifically talked about this scenario before the race so he had a good understanding of my IT band injury and what to do if it acted up.
As soon as he saw me he knew something was up. He asked me a few questions and told me to sit down in the shade. He gave me a cold bottle of water and offered me my pickles and potatoes. I gladly took all of them. Jeremy started massaging my leg. While he did that, Bren grabbed my water bottles and refilled them. He came back and then asked me what he could grab me from the aid station to eat. The boys are nailing this whole crewing thing!
I probably sat there for about 15 minutes or so allowing my body to reset. It worked. I filled up my water bladder, and grabbed a handful of gummy worms and Swedish fish. Yummy! It was at this point that I saw my friend, Patrick, who I had been looking for all day because I wanted to cheer him on. He DNF'd last year and a finish this year was very important to him. He was still in it and so close to the finish. It was great to see him! From there I gave my boys more hugs and kisses, turned on a Negative Splits podcast I had been wanting to listen to with David Roche (because who doesn't smile when they listen to David Roche) and headed towards 260 TH AS that was 7 miles away.
My leg felt great! Whatever Jeremy did worked. I was in a great place mentally and I allowed myself to begin pushing it for that strong finish I had hoped and planned for. I ran the flats, downhills and mellow uphills. I hiked the steep climbs. This part of the course was really fun to me. It kind of swoops here and there and is in the pines for the most part. I arrived at the 260 TH AS fairly quickly. I saw Coach Jason Koop standing beside the trail and was like, "Woah, that was THE Jason Koop. Cool!" No, I didn't say that out loud. I am not that big of a dork believe it or not. At least I don't think that I did? Hmmm...
I arrived to volunteers and crews cheering us runners in including my boys, Melissa, Erin, Wendy and people I didn't even know. Jeremy and Bren had stopped here unplanned on the way to the finish line to check on me and make sure my leg was holding up. Jeremy thought for sure I was going to come in hobbling because of how I came into the last AS. Nope. I came in smiling ear to ear and looking for a bathroom. Those two things aren't related. Or are they?
Jeremy told me that there were two ladies who had been there for a little bit. He told me that I looked strong and I should try to beat them to the finish line. I am not going to lie, once he said that I felt the inner competitive part of me that I buried deep down inside that day wake up. She stood up, stretched, and threw up her "rock on" hand gesture. After topping off waters, grabbing a small snack, and verifying course directions with the volunteers, I headed out with two other ladies heading out at the same time for the final 4.7 miles back up to the rim and to the finish line.
The climb spread us out with Liz Koop about 400 yards ahead of me. We both passed the third woman who had left the AS a little bit ahead of us. I had turned on some tunes and was making my way up the climb singing along to the Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive" and grinding out that climb. I love big gnarly climbs and this was a good one!
We hit the top and the last 2 miles were fairly flat. I didn't know how close the third woman in our 260 TH group was but I wasn't looking back to see. I ran as hard as I could towards the finish line passing a few runners along the way. I never could close the gap between Liz and I, but trying to catch her pushed me and for that I was grateful.
As I came around the final bend in the road, I saw the finish line and saw Bren standing on the side about 20 yards away from the finish. He asked me if he could finish with me. Heck yeah!!! I waved him over and he ran across the finish line with me which was fitting because I finished this race with the help of my crew who saved the day at See Canyon #2. I finished in 13:40:47. Some people would not be happy with that time but I was filled with gratitude. I had executed my race plan and finished strong with a smile and my son by my side.
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| Crossing the finish line with my boy. Photo Credit: Wendy White |
Family and friends were at the finish line and there were many more smiles. Smiles were the theme of the day. We stayed after for a bit because I wanted to cheer in that third woman who had left 260 TH AS with us. Her and I had been leap-frogging each other all day long. I also wanted to cheer in Patrick and Deron. This is what it is all about. The community and the adventures. I hear that the course re-route that we did this year was easier (not easy by any means) than the original route and I hope to be back to run the original course.
I am sure that a lot people looking at my training numbers leading up to the race would think that I shouldn't have toed the line or that I would not finish. Those thoughts crossed my mind a time or two before race day. But you know what? This was a bucket list race. We only have this one life. You can't keep pushing things off until some sort of perfect scenario happens. Do you want it or not? Are you willing to risk failing or not?
Sometimes you have to trust in your previous experiences and believe in yourself even if you are a bit crazy. Or a lot crazy. My mantra for the day was "I CAN and I WILL." I did it with the help of my amazing husband, son, and friends. Now I understand why Zane Grey 50M is special to people. It is the community that shows up there and there is something so very special about those mountains.
Take care and enjoy doing whatever it is you are passionate about. Hopefully it is something that you can share with the people who care about and love you. Community is what it is all about!
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| Best team a girl could ask for. Photo Credit: Wendy White |
~Shanna
Gear/Hydration/Nutrition:
Bigger Than the Trail Patagonia duck bill hat
Ultimate Direction Adventure Vesta hydration pack
Altra Lone Peak 3.5 trail shoes
Injinji mid-weight toe socks
Nathan water bottles/2L UD bladder
Hammer Endurolytes
Spring Energy Long Haul gels
Pickles, watermelon, potatoes, chips, pretzels, gummy worms and swedish fish...nom nom nom
