I had the heavy cream, the rock salt and the ice cream maker. We had already made mocktails, (I can really bring the insanely tame party to the aid station). I didn’t tell the crew about the ice cream makings, that was a surprise for later. An aid station on the out and back Oregon 200 course is open for a long time. I was trying to keep up the fun when the fun isn’t a chipmunk onesie or fun rainbow outfits and too loud cowbell. The aid station was open for 3 days and three, 90+ degree days is too long to be in costume for me (I know, quitter!) 

Then on day two a lightning fire started on the course just south of the aid station where we had been laughing under the stars, dancing with runner’s crews, making dumb signs and cooking noodles. It started with thunder. Then a plume. Then just a few hours later we were gathering runners to get back to town, the race was cancelled. 

Instead of ice cream we helped race directors get runners safely out, packed up the aid station and got out of there. By the time I left I could hear the crackle of the fire from miles away. I understand how fast a fire can spread from reports of new incidents going from a spark to 150 acres to 3,000 acres, but it is a whole other story to see it spreading up the closest mountain. 

Everyone got out safely, mostly because the race directors made a decision quickly and moved FAST to get runners back to the nearest town. Being a race director is NOT for the weak. We left with the course still marked in places. The U-Haul is full of dirty gear, uneaten food and buckles not given out.  There were only five finishers, runners who got through the course before the fire. Hard to celebrate that finish. 

If you know someone who directs races, had their race cancelled (Cascades 100 was also cancelled this weekend), has a house near an active fire or is triggered by poor AQI, reach out. Fire season in Oregon stinks for runners, but more than that, it is scary to have the places we live and run on fire. I think we all are owed a little ice cream! 

BARELY READY IS READY

• Anna Hall competes in the heptathlon. The heptathlon looks hard. Here is a taste.  "Barely ready is ready."
• Rachel Entrekin, the winner of the 250-mile Cocodona earlier this year and winner of basically everything she enters has been putting out some fun content lately. You can find her on the A Little Happy podcast where she shares some of her winning attitude. "Giving up is a choice."

STRENGTH
JOIN ME for Strength Training for Runners this Wednesday. Live to your screen. Free always. It would be great to have a big bunch of you, like a big group hug that is also doing squats. 

​Saw a plume of smoke at 3:00pm.
Made some quesadillas.
Race cancelled, really pushed those quesadillas on the runners and crew and everyone got out. 
Out of the aid station by 9:45pm.
The Emigrant fire is now 6,000 acres and potentially the site of the aid station has been consumed. Damn. 

This past weekend two Fastest Known Times (FKT) were set by members of this rad community. But I am not pumped up about these records because of speed (although that was great too). It’s the way the pursuit of the FKT brought the athletes to life, bringing joy to training which can turn into a slog when you are putting in huge mileage weeks. These runs weren’t only about beating the boys (YUP SHE DID) or putting up a first time for women (YES SIR SHE DID), they were about having an adventure, putting meaning in the miles and seeing what you can do when only you are watching. 

You don't have to run races to be a runner.
Make running meaningful.
Look back and think, I DID THAT! 

If you are looking to set an FKT yourself, check out routes that are begging to be run here. Or run one of the routes for fun just and tell speed to stuff it. 

STRUGGLE
A good listen with two powerhouse runners in conversation about real struggle vs temporary struggle. 

NON-RUNNING JOY
Last week I asked you for some non-running joy and I was shocked at the depth of answers. I would have never guessed and truly, these responses brought me joy. 

• An e-bay seller expedited shipping on my new bike part and didn't charge me: "my treat" he said.  The generosity of a stranger!
• Recovery Slide Crocs, a little spa trip for my feet.
• Visiting all 480 stations in Boston’s ride share program (345 done!). Seeing a new one along a bike ride feels like discovering a hidden treasure. Last week I saw an orchestra rehearsal. 
• Ketchup chips from Grocery Outlet 
• I was having a conversation with a friend who is struggling with loneliness.  She asked how I cope with it as a single person living alone and I told her that my loneliness is a companion to me.  When I'm alone, sometimes "loneliness" drops in and keeps me company.
• Waking up to sunlight streaming through tall trees because I was brave enough to sleep with the rain fly peeled halfway off my tent.
• Finding out the insect repellent Permethrin works pretty darn good.
• Sour Albanese brand gummy bears are really tasty. (Especially if you rinse Permethrin off your fingers first.)
• Starting “Muscle” class at my gym even though I don’t have muscles just yet!

VALIDATED
I have been recommending Rice Krispy Treats for a long time and now it is bringing me great joy (and extra smug feelings) to see this article, "Rice Krispies Treats Are Upending the Billion-Dollar Athlete-Fuel Wars"

STRENGTH
JOIN ME for Strength Training for Runners this Wednesday. If squats do not bring you joy, you can fake answering the doorbell or leave to assist your child (real or pretend) scavenge dinner. Live to your screen. Free always.

This week I am finding surprising amounts of joy in grocery store brand crab dip, my Chilipad and working on my bench press. Have something filling your joy cup, that isn't' what you expected? Tell me about it and I will send an unexpected joy list next week (no names, so send away), seems like we could use a joy list in our lives right about now, RIGHT!? 

And if you need some sweat to bring you joy, JOIN ME for Strength Training for Runners this Wednesday. Tell your boss you are going home to pick up your kids/dogs/plants from the babysitter and come do squats with us. Live to your screen. Free always.

SNACKS
In a snack rut? Here are some snacks I have been recommending lately. 

• SIS Bars. If you want sports nutrition you can chew, these SIS Bars are very soft and they come in lemon which isn't super sweet and they are not dry. One bar is 35g of carbs. 
• If you aren't already on the Precision Fuel and Hydration train yet, time to hop aboard. Almost everyone loves the gels and the chews are 100%. 
• King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls for pre-long run or race. One small roll is 15g of carbs and it smashes down super small so you won't feel like you ate a brick pre-race since you will need to take down a few of these. Add some butter and honey and you won't be sorry (unless you are gluten free, in which case, this pancake mix is carb city and yum)

ADVICE FOR MISERY
I feel like the best running advice I have seen in a while is this one line, "swap spiraling thoughts for small tasks" - How to Climb out of Mid-Race Misery

MEDIA FOR YOU

• Next in my cue is Adaptive on Peacock, which follows 4 adaptive athletes to the Olympics. 
• If you are a fan of women's sports, The Feist, from Feisty Media covers women's sports and this episode covers some good stuff including the Cross Fit Games, the Tour de France Femmes and World Athletics’ decision to reinstate sex testing for female athletes. 

YOUR SMOOTHIE IS A JOKE
If tomatoes are a fruit, then is ketchup a smoothie? Ketchup Smoothies would have been great April Fools content but they started too early and this seems to be for real. 

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RUNNING

• On Saturday, Jen Pawol made history by becoming the first woman to umpire a Major League Baseball game. About time baseball boys! 
• If you need something sweet today, here is 57 days of a bird's life condensed into a 3-minute video and it is amazing. 
• If you like the band, okgo you know their music videos are amazing. Even more amazing are the posts about how they made the video and almost died or got dressed in 9 seconds or made it look easy wearing a 20lb suit. This one for their song, Love is so good. 

After a bike ride in the rain last week, I told my riding partner she HAD to wash her bike when she got home and not just put it away gritty. She replied, "I will do it, you never tell me what to do, so I can tell you are serious". I try not to tell anyone what to do (hilarious, since as a coach my whole life is telling runners what to do, so I have no idea how I am saying this in right mind!) You get the point, I want you to listen to this one. Whether you are a woman debating if it is time to chat with your doctor about menopause symptoms, a woman who has been dismissed by her doctor, whether you are a brother/husband/dad to someone who identifies as a woman or if you are a human person with an aging body, this one is an important listen and an introduction to a great resource. Trail Runner Nation just had Dr. Kelly Casperson on the podcast and I think the most important thing she says is that when doctors give poor treatment or aren't listening, she is the one who is there for perimenopause care. We can't all use her services but here resources are plentiful. I follow her on Instagram and her last few posts cover testosterone use, bone loss and sleep disturbance. She also has her own podcast, You Are Not Broken, so listen up because you are NOT broken. 

TESTING
The Presidential Physical Fitness Test is back. For anyone traumatized by this thing in which you didn't train, but then had to do a series of moves in front of your elementary school classmates to see if the president thought you were worthy, you are not alone. Maintenance Phase did a podcast on the test and if you love snark and don't love the sit and reach or the bent arm hang, this one is for you. 

THIS PROTEIN IS A JOKE

• I made this chocolate cake because an algorithm decided this person's recipe would be my jam. And it is so delicious, damn you algorithm. It is basically just Greek yogurt, eggs and a chocolate bar. Does this count as high protein?
• I read this protein satire and now every time I eat eggs I think of this line, "What’s that sound? All I hear is the sound of you not eating a bucket of eggs. That eggless silence is the worst sound in the world. I listen to a recording of myself eating a bucket of eggs to help me fall asleep at night. It brings me a peace you’ll never understand." 

STRENGTH
You are invited EVERY Wednesday night for Strength Training for Runners, live to your screen. Free always. We will not do any bent arm hangs, I promise!