Runs With Mascara

New Jersey dreamin!

2012-01-17T15:57:00.001-08:00

With lots of long runs on my training schedule I have been looking for some good races to help me get in the mileage this winter and spring. Not knowing where work travel may lead me (Bulgaria in February!?! 90% chance) I can't really commit solidly to anything. I am hoping my first race of 2012 will be in NEW JERSEY. Yes, you heard me correctly. I am heading back to PA to visit my family and while I am there I am going to sneak away for a bit to run the Febapple Frozen Fifty.

The Febapple Frozen Fifty is Feb 25 in New Jersey, awesome, right?! The Febapple looks like a figure eight from the start/finish with mostly trails and fire road. As for elevation the site says: “Good combination of level patches, rolling hills, moderate climbs, and a few very steep ascents and descents” I have no idea what that means for NJ and with no elevation gain/loss figures I will just have to wait and find out. The race looks super small and I imagine not many people have this as a destination race, but hey, who doesn't love NJ in the winter!

The next day I am hoping to do another event with my sister called the Ugly Mudder 7 Mile Trail Run, in Reading, PA. The appealing thing about this race is that the race director(s) has(have) an awesome sense of humor. From the race website: “It is not Boston nor the Olympics or even a line item on a bucket list of someone who desperately needs to get a life. It is, instead, a wonderful regional trail event thru whatever winter conditions cover the mountain overlooking the onetime Factory Outlet Capital of the World. It is an assortment of rustic trails covered by dirt & debris, rocks & roots, deer pellets & discarded undergarments, somewhat unique aide stations & fare, with constant undulation throughout, but nothing that requires a Sherpa.” It goes on to say, "This medium challenge race attracts 600-800 crazies a year, and for good reason; what else are you going to do in Reading in late Feb now that Bingo games here have gone "smokeless".

Bring on the fun, east coast style!

BAM!

2012-01-12T16:08:00.000-08:00

And she's down! Funny to go from absolute runner's high to crumpled ball of tears on the ground in less than half a second. But just one day after writing about my favorite fancy new wonderful light, I go out for an easy run with no headlamp at 5:00am and exactly at the furthest point I will be from home I hit what feels like a trip wire and I go down hard. No hands out to brace me, nothing but net. Well okay, nothing but right elbow, ribs and thigh. I feel like I even skipped a bit like a stone on a pond but that may have just been my imagination. So I fell, shed a few tears (okay, they were giant tears with no air- that was knocked out of me, so I imagine I had that face little kids make when they aren't sure whether it hurts or not but when their parent looks at them they explode in a screaming teary mess) but then I got up and went back to look for the trip wire in the road. See below...

Me and my wire ring of pain. (I am trying to make a mad face but I am not so good at it!)

So I find the wire ring of pain on the road. Could it be that I stepped on one side of the ring and then caught the other side with my toe on the other foot? That seems like something that would only happen in a cartoon with Roadrunner. What are the chances of that? I probably couldn't land like that if I tried it in the light. So I did what any logical, teary runner would do, I picked it up, slung it over my head and started running slowly home. It turned out no major damage, just a few spots of road rash and a super sore elbow. The other bright spot... I now have a nice wire ring to make a mobile of all the great and not so great things I met on my journey to running 100 miles. I am going to start combing the road for some great things now that I will always be wearing a light!

Killer New Light by Go Motion

2012-01-09T09:07:00.000-08:00

The light does not sag when you are standing or running, just having weird posture to take a self portrait!

I just got this new AWESOME light as photographed so poorly above. The light is the Sternum Light Kit 100 by Go Motion. I got it as a gift from one of my fans, Neil Dicker, aka, stepdad. When he heard I would be running through the night at races he wanted me to have the best light and gave me discretion to pick one out. I have seen people with headlamps around their waist and was intrigued. I decided on the Go Motion Sternum light as I love having my handsfree and my headlamps are all annoying for one reason or another. One is super bright but the size makes it so I need to wear a brimmed hat to keep it from creeping down over my eyes. This is great except some of the light shines on the brim making it less effective. If I tighten it and wear it without a hat there is a divot in my forehead for a week. The other headlamp points in any direction it wants due to some loose plastic that is just a poor design.
The sternum design of the Go Motion is awesome. Basically the sides of the light have cushioned velcro loops that allow you to hook it onto any pack you have. The battery pack fits nicely into the pack you are using and the cord connecting the light with the pack went easily out of the way. The battery pack has a blinky red light, great for visibility if you want it.

I tried it out on a short night run that I was doing to see how it would perform. I was running barefoot on a local soccer field. While it is not technical terrain it is important to look out for dog poo, dropped forks and other hazards lurking. The light was fantastic! First, you can really focus the beam and it stays where you put it. It is 100 lumens so that is a fantastic amount of light. It has a low setting so you can tone it down for longer battery life. While the light felt heavy in the package, I didn't feel it at all on my pack and it didn't bounce, jostle or get annoying at all. It was easy to put on and take off and it makes me want to go out for my long runs in the dark just so I can use it more.

No idea how well the battery will perform. It says it lasts 8 hours on high which would be amazing. Even if it lasts 6 that would be great. This is definitely going to Zion with me.

Great Christmas = 40 miles of hiking in Yosemite

2011-12-28T16:09:00.001-08:00

Brian and I went to Yosemite for 3 nights over Christmas this year and although we had a cross country ski trip planned it was glorious even without snow. I have been to more National Parks than I can count on my fingers and toes but I had never been to Yosemite. A crime, I know, especially since it is so close relative to San Francisco. We stayed in tents in Curry Village the first night which was cold but awesome. The valley floor was 19 degrees, thank you sleeping bag for being tough as nails! The next two nights we stayed in the Glacier Point Lodge. The lodge is a store and cafe in summer and converts to a ski in lodge in the winter when the road is closed. We hiked in since there is no parking overnight and had 2 nights of quiet, starry skies. I think I remarked on how lucky we were about once per hour. No people, lots of sun, crisp temps. Enjoy the pics!

Top of Lambert Dome

Where's the snow? Never mind, we are having fun anyway!
Half Dome in the distance.

One of the points on the way to Dewey Point.

Me, upon seeing Yosemite for the first time!

Holiday Half Marathon, Portland, OR

2011-12-11T21:22:00.001-08:00

I am in Portland, OR this weekend visiting friends tacked on to a work trip. As luck would have it I was also able to run the Holiday Half Marathon. The course was flat, had people singing carols and it was NOT RAINING. On the other hand it was 35 degrees and my heart rate monitor (which I was planning to use as my guide) was showing a heart rate of 215 for most of the race. I had a great time and let me tell you, it was easy!!! Not trying to brag but the rest of the day was rough!Look at these adorable trolls I got to spend the rest of the day with (below). These kids have enough energy to make you beg for another 13 miles. I hid under the bed for a monster game of hide and seek. We colored, we glued googly eyes and read stories. We walked to the store for cookies and then it was still only 3:00!!! It feels like running a race you aren't trained for and have no GU. These kids win their age group for sure!

Pure joy!

2011-12-07T14:28:00.000-08:00

This weekend was the North Face Endurance Challenge. I was able to join friends on my mountain bike and head out on the course to watch the speedsters and mere mortals run by. I could go on and on but I will let these two pictures (thanks for taking them Sam) speak for themselves. Above is Cheyenne. Cheyenne is one of the busiest people I know. While training for the 50k she also was planning a wedding (the week before the race, talk about a taper strategy), building a business, training, networking and getting in some time with friends. In a run before the race she told me how running was "pure joy". I get goosebumps just looking at that picture because Sam caught that pure joy completely. Awesome work Cheyenne, keep on spreading the joy!

The above picture is our training grounds here in the San Francisco Bay Area. When people ask me why I run ultra distance, why I run on trails, aren't I bored, I just need to direct them here. Pure joy (I think I can see one of the trails smiling)...

Are you busy May 11th and 12th, 2012?

2011-11-28T21:04:00.000-08:00

It is official, I have signed up for the Zion 100. Well I actually signed up a while back but wasn't ready to admit it quite yet. I am still trying to figure out how to keep the joy of running at mile 70, 80, 95! After volunteering at aid stations at mile 92 and mile 80 of 100 milers I have seen what it looks like and it isn't always pretty. So why do it? I want to see if I have the guts. As an ultrarunner I have realized that the 100 miler is the distance at the top of the sport. Yes, there are longer runs. There will always be something longer, crazier, hillier, you name it. But the 100 miler seems to have made a place in ultrarunning as the pinnacle. I have not been to the top in Triathlon (Ironman) or any other sport but I feel like I have a shot here and that feels awesome. I have no illusions about it being all sunshine and lollipops but I am hoping it will be an amazing experience. Join me?!?

Here is a call to all runners, TransRockies pals, triathletes, Facebook friends, bike racers, friends of sport, coworkers... join me! Did I mention, there is a 50 miler. Or go for it and run the 100 miler. Or pace me during the middle of the night. Or don't run at all. You can just come to see Zion National Park and high five me after the race! (please note, open invite to join me does not include parents who are best supporting from home, I would rather send text updates, thank you for understanding!)

The course is one long trail in a figure 8. NO repeating sections, no endless loops. It is almost completely trail and there is less climbing than most 100s on trail. Vistas include mesas, desert and sky and the weather could be totally perfect that time of year.

I must also mention that this is the first year of this race. The race director, Matt Gunn is a stand-up guy. I don't know him but I have seen how classy he has been up until now and from what I have seen I have total faith that the race will be great. Put it this way, when I signed up for the race he emailed me personally to say hello, invite me to training runs on the course and ask if I have any ideas for making his first race go smoothly. SERIOUSLY, that blew me away. He has also responded to questions on the website super fast, offered to host training runs on course outside of the handful he is officially organizing and has secured ham radio operators for safety during the run in zones with no cell coverage. I am really looking forward to meeting him and supporting this effort.

Have I convinced you? Please join me, this will be a race to remember. Training starts now, 25 weeks until we are ON!

Spoiler alert: Sam wins AG at Urbanathalon!

2011-11-14T20:19:00.001-08:00

The Urbanathalon is in the books! What a fun day. The event was just over 9 miles with some obstacles in the way. The race started with a run up some of San Francisco's finest hills and over to AT&T park, our baseball stadium. I ran with my favorite other half, Brian and best favorite endurance power couple, Jeff and Jessica. Sam ran like the devil, chasing glory solo. You already know the results of that, PURE AWESOME. We crawled under barriers, under jeeps and under nets. We went over concrete dividers, high walls and taxi cabs (yeah, that felt good stomping on the hood). We laughed, we ran, we were ridiculous as we hoped to be!

Event highlights:

A brief but glorious reunion with some TransRockies pals during the race and after (see above).
Conquering a full set of monkey bars without a pause. (Yeah for small victories!)
Running with some of my favorite people, all together. That won't happen again for a long time.
Sam coaching me from the crowd (yes, she was done already) over the final wall at the finish. Conversation as follows...

Dana- just staring at wall mouth most likely hanging open a bit, speechless
Sam from crowd- "Grab the rope!!!"
Dana grabs the rope with feet on wall then pulling and realizing there will be no upward progress with this method, "NOW WHAT?!?!?!?"
Nice volunteer pushes me by my behind up and over the wall. So much for girl power. Thank you nice man, I needed that!

Check out Sam with her prize. So cool. Even better, that rockin pink skirt. Thanks Jen Stover for the photographic evidence that we were there. I am itching for what's next. Off season, you are over!

It's the off season. Go jump a bus!

2011-11-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

The "off-season" is really just a thing we talk about, not really something we do! It is the San Francisco Bay, beautiful weather all year. That means no cue to take some rest or stay inside and hibernate. Well this year in a break from racing and focused training we are taking an off season. (Don't worry, it will be short, we will get a bad case of FOMO- fear of missing out, in no time!) And what better way to spend the off season than doing something ridiculous! The next adventure for RWM is the Men's Health URBANATHALON right here in San Francisco. URBAN What? Well it is a ten mile run through the city with a few obstacles for good measure.

Example obstacle: Jumping a bus. Oh right, after leaping a few cabs first! HA. I said it was ridiculous.

This one should be fun. We are bringing friends along and hope to take pictures of monkey bar madness, all the tires we will be jumping in and out of and the stairs at the baseball stadium we conquer. Love the off season!

Neve, Never, Never Give Up

2011-11-09T19:22:00.000-08:00

I cried. I watched it again, same result. I'm going out for a run now, gotta go!

The Arc of a Lifetime Pursuit

2011-11-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

Everything about this video makes me smile!

For the love of running

2011-11-02T22:10:00.000-07:00

My nephew Austin, the youngest runner I know

You know that person that runs really fast then stops and turns to look at you with a grin before running fast ahead again, legs scrambling, arms flying, shrieks of laughter emanating as you yourself start laughing and almost want to stop because it's too hard to breathe and laugh?

That's a kid. (But it could also be a few trail running friends I know.) It's just the pure delight in realizing what your legs can do; that chemical endorphin that washes over you when you run, feeling your heartbeat and the wind rush across your face.

With San Francisco unveiling the red carpet of an exceptional, if long overdue, indian summer these past few weeks it's the feeling I've had every time I go out to run. Without any training agenda it's the reason I run. It's the reason I love to run. And it's the reason I can never understand the person who says they don't like running. Not the person who can't run or doesn't have time or prefers other things, but the person who just can't stand to run. Find your inner child, people. Or better yet, find a kid who will run with you. Find the love. Or just the like.

Find your inner Phoebe from Friends.

100 year old runner

2011-10-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

The 100 year old marathoner! I have received countless emails, comments over the watercooler and phone calls about this guy. Some people say, that will be you! Some say, how is that possible. Many wonder, what does he eat! So I looked it up and the articles say tea and ginger curry. How does he do it? Happiness. Will that be me? Great question, who knows what life will bring 65 years from now. One thing for sure, I will be drinking tea and eating curry!

Here are some quotes from him from a Buddhist blog.

"If someone says I must stop running I ignore them - invariably they're younger than me. The secret to a long and healthy life is to be stress-free. If there's something you can't change then why worry about it?

"Be grateful for everything you have, stay away from people who are negative, stay smiling and keep running."

"I won't stop running until I die."

Sierra Endurance Runs 9/24

2011-10-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

A quick little catch up from the mascara files and my experience at...

SIERRA ENDURANCE 25M and 50M RUNS

With my fourth and final toenail gone, I was desperate to get in a decent weekend of some long distance runs before I had to face the Dick Collins 50M on 10.8. Coming off Transrockies at the end of August I'd been plagued with foot issues that kept me in flip flops for almost 3 1/2 weeks straight (which is heaven, of course, but only if i can also put sneakers on). When I finally did lace up a pair of sneaks, I was so happy....and slightly off my running game. Amazing how much ground you can lose when you can't run. This was my last chance to get in a big push so I headed out to Roseville at an ungoldy hour of the morning to join my friends, Dana and Kara, at the Sierra Endurance Run.

Arriving late to the race start, Dana's boyfriend, Brian, was waiting for me with my race bib and chip as the gun went off and the runners disappeared. Doh. I headed out on the now empty firetrail with a few other latecomers, following the arrows and watching the sunrise sweep across Auburn Lake. Still following the arrows, I caught up to a handful of people as we transitioned to single track and I took the lead (of the stragglers, I mean). Maybe 1/2 mile along the woman behind said she hadn't seen a "pink ribbon" in awhile. I said I was following the arrows. She said the arrows were for another race - we were supposed to follow the ribbons. She was following me who was not following the ribbons. Ah, the pre-race meeting. So often uninformative and yet this once, so critical.

Auburn Lake at Sunrise

So we circled back and picked up the ribbons and went about the next 18 or so miles running on soft, rolling singletrack alongside the lake and beautiful views. Things felt good, loose. The miles seemed to click away quickly enough and then we started to turn inland, or upland I should say, on Cardiac Hill. That's when the heat of the day seemed to unleash its effects. The hike up went well enough. It was steep and long but my legs felt strong. Things were still looking pretty good as I entered the Auburn Dam Overlook aid station, drenched myself in water, grabbed a Clif bar and continued on. And then the wheels just started slowing down. I meandered down some singletrack easily enough then hit the last flat-to-rolling firetrail stretch before the finish. This is where 5 miles felt like 10. Where my water supply disappeared almost instantly and I was left holding a Clif bar and a Gu I couldn't choke down without fluids.

Fortunately, I ran into Kara and Dana coming back for the 50M course - both of them feeling the same effects, each pausing to say hi for a minute before we continued on our separate paths slowly and sluggishly. I was doing a walk/run thing by then, trying to admire the views around me, my legs now just dead and my lips parched. Even Dana warned that what seemed like the last mile or so was more like 2 or 2+. I got passed by maybe 5 people during that stretch but finally No Hands Bridge came into view and I shuffled across the finish line into the arms of a cold and delicious popsicle. Mmmm, popsicles.

Dana just past the 25 mile turnaround.

I arrived back at the start via the shuttle bus just in time to drop my keys in the toilet and see the winner cross in 7:29. All around goodness.

Late to race start, lost on trail, keys in toilet. Nothing left to do but smile.

Driving home afterwards I considered how on earth I could have ever turned around at that point and done another 25 miles. I texted Tina (another mascara girl also signed up for Dick Collins) about my doubts. I was SO done at mile 25 with 2 weeks to go until my first 50M. It was not the sign I was looking for. Taken on its own, it was a fine day, challenging; it got me out onto new trails and supporting 2 great race directors who would also be putting on Dick Collins. The views were great, the sunrise spectacular. I could see going back here on a cool, fall day and doing an out and back on the singletrack along the lake en route to Tahoe.

I just have to remember what friends have always reiterated: where the mind goes, the body will follow.

Dana and Kara both finished the 50 Mile course making their 50M records 2 for 2 with outstanding debuts at American River last year and gritty, dig-deep-in-the-heat performances at Sierra. Kudos to the ladies!

Dana and Kara at the quiet, desolate finish.

Dick Collins Fire Trails in Pictures

2011-10-11T16:23:00.001-07:00

It isn't your eyes, it is the photos. I am definitely a better runner than photographer but I thought I would share the few pictures that I have from Dick Collins Fire Trails this past weekend. CONGRATULATIONS to Sam and Tina. Great run!

Sam prerun

Mile 40, check out the amazing trails!

Me pacing Sam

Sam, mile 47 or so

Sam with great friend Jessica- a trail surprise!

I like our group of friends that all have their cameras up on the other side of the finish!

Racing and Pacing: A weekend preview

2011-10-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

Since it is Wednesday I can officially start thinking about the weekend! Since this weekend should be especially fun I thought I would write a quick preview.

Sam is going to be running all 6 of her remaining toenails at the Dick Collins Firetrails 50 miler! She has kept the podiatrist in business since our run at TransRockies but is strong as ever. I expect to see that awesome "Sam is getting it done" pace (also know as the "I will kick your @## you crazy trail, you're not the boss of me" pace).

Tina, a great friend of Runs with Mascara and awesome athlete will also be running. It is also her birthday so there is sure to be festivities in store. Tina paced me at American River 50 last year and was AMAZING. Why:

She had jokes. She didn't think of jokes to tell me, she actually went online, found jokes, printed them out and brought them in her running pack. She whipped them out (all 4 printed pages) and I almost died laughing!
She had chocolate. Always a great lure!
She stopped talking to me! So cute, as soon as we started running together she told me how she has stopped talking to me days before to ensure we would have plenty to talk about on our run!
She shed a tear at mile 49. So did I, but it was awesome to see her so excited for me.

I hope I am half the pacer Tina was for me. I am looking forward to 13 awesome miles pacing, cheering my heart out, eating amazing food after, high fives that turn to sweaty hugs and some great pictures to share.

Go SAM! Go TINA!

Transrockies: There's more!

2011-09-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

See the video outtakes from a flip cam that sat in an ice-cold babypool for 20 minutes at the end of Day 4, compromising the integrity of this award-winning look back at a few days across Colorado. It's not a lot of great running coverage but it further promotes what Transrockies was all about for us - big smiles, wide open spaces, great friends - old and new. And a lot of hand gesturing.

I think this might be my last attempt at visual media for this event so savor it. But you never know!

Transrockies: The Song

2011-09-26T12:10:00.001-07:00

It's the song they played each night at Transrockies before the awards, the song that stayed with me back home, the song that I've listened to ad nauseum since returning to California. I can't quit you, song!

So what better use of it than to borrow from the producers at W.L. Gore and create our own personalized Transrockies photo montage with their song. To watch the slideshows the race organizers presented each night after dinner of the photos from the day was to feel inspired all over again to be doing something so amazing in a place so beautiful. Though these don't quite have the same professional caliber as what we got to see, hopefully you get the gist of what our adventure felt like. Or at least looked like.

Sierra Nevada Endurance Run 50 miler

2011-09-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Sierra Nevada Endurance Run 50 mile race and marathon. I raced the 50 mile with friend Kara and Sam raced the marathon as a training run to prep for Dick Collins Fire Trails in 2 weeks. I signed Sam up for the race on Friday and apparently my handwriting messed up her registration so CONGRATS to Sam on her 12th place in the men's 40-49. (should have been 4th place in the women's, KILLER!)

For this race I was worried about 2 things. 1) Heat and 2) every muscle in my body seizing up and not letting go. For the past 3 weeks I have been so tight in my back and hips that I thought 50 miles might turn me into a mannequin. The heat came to be, the mannequin pose never happened but I did turn into another mall staple, the mall walker!

First things first, the heat. Turns out we got lucky and it was forecast to be 15 degrees cooler than the day before of 105. Whew. Still way to hot for this girl.

All smiles.

The race started at 6:30 am and I was sweating in no time. I knew this was going to be tough. The course was amazing with rolling hills, nothing big but no real flat either. There was rock formations, gorgeous water and great vegetation to make the trail fantastic. All was well into mile 10. Into mile 18 too, then we started up the hill and that is when it got hot. This was an ordinary hill I wouldn't normally think twice about but it made my core temperature sore just from power hiking. A flat section before mile 22 helped me run again and it felt okay.

Sam cools off at one of the aid stations. Ultrarunning centerfold! Photo courtesy of Brian.

Then it just got hot. HOTAHOTHOT. Yes, I am a wimp around heat but boy I was woozy. I had ice, sponge baths and dreamed of slurpees but really I was barely under the threshold for cooking my brain. I had to walk slow to keep from fainting. I was so excited to see Brian at mile 28 to pace me, something to take my mind of things!

The 2 mile canal along the route was awesome for cooling down. Mile 29.

I jumped into water twice during the race and it was worth all the delay it caused for sure. I felt like a pig wallowing in the mud but for sure it saved me. I never had issues with tightness all day but I did have some sort of Achilles flare up that slowed me down to mall walker pace but hey, I was moving! I won't go on and on about that because really, who knows what happened and why but I moved on (at a barely detectable pace for some of it but always made forward progress).

In the end another PW! 12 hours and 20 minutes. Right after the finish superstar Jessica, crew chief for my last 50, called thinking I wasn't checking in with her, never thinking that it could have taken me that long. Ha, I was so happy to tell you I wasn't dead! So this summer I have run a personal worst at the marathon, 50k and 50 mile and I never have learned more.

From this race I realized:

I often kid around blaming genetics for my slow speed and poor athletic talents but really I am blessed with the ability to eat anything at anytime. Maybe better than the ability to run fast when you are an ultrarunner!
I am tougher than I think I am. Cool.
My brain is my strongest muscle. I better make sure I keep it on a good workout plan!
50 miles is far and 90 degrees is hot, so if it takes me 12 hours, well still better than dropping or not starting at all!
Running slow is still running, grace isn't always with you and getting it done is what counts.
It all means nothing if you can't share it with friends. Thanks to everyone for the calls, emails, texts, good thoughts. I am so lucky.

PS- a shout out to my pacer, Brian. Brian is the best partner, boyfriend, pacer ever. He was encouraging without being annoying, helped me dig deep when I wanted to kick something and made me feel proud of my accomplishment even if it was a tad on the slow side. Nice job Brian at your longest run (by time) ever!

Do you have $12,000?

2011-09-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

Dream with me here for a minute. One year sabbatical from work. (No, I have no idea how this will be funded, please suspend disbelief to dream with me for the rest of this post) Okay, one year sabbatical from work. $12,000 cash for the purchase of the retro, silver airstream pictured above. A couple thousand dollars more to renovate for full sports engagement. A full 2012 race calendar spanning the American West. Training in the National Parks. Sleeping in the dessert, the mountains, Wal-Mart parking lots. Sponsors would be our favorite blinc of course, a tea sponsor would be nice, shoes, must have a shoe sponsor, socks, don't forget, some sort of recovery cream, Whole Foods and oooh, gas, we would definitely need gas.

Look how shiny it is! With the sponsor logos on the sides it would be even shinier, happier! What a home. Are you with me? Potential sponsors, give me a call. I run in the mid-pack and love to talk about your products! At my pace I have plenty of time to discuss intricacies as well! Dad, I will need some guidance on the interior renovation as you can see below. There is so much potential. I suppose I would need to learn how to drive a truck pulling this thing behind me. I would have to suspend plans for saving money, getting mail delivery and, and, and I can't see any other drawbacks at this point!

The crazy thing is that this very Airstream is really for sale within 5 miles of my house right now. Two weeks ago I bought Sam a shirt meant explicitly for wearing while lounging outside an imaginary Airstream I wish we had. A sign? I suppose the real sign would be someone giving me $12,000 plus a little something for renovations and a sponsor signing on to this crazy idea. Anyone game?

Thank you blinc

2011-09-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

Sam after finishing stage 4 of TransRockies. Look how good she looks. Yes, genetics and blinc!

Dear blinc,

You complete us. We can't quit you. If you were a person we would stand outside your window with a boom box blasting Peter Gabriel. We were in love with you before and now, after our epic 6 days of TransRockies racing, the deal is sealed. Thanks for being our team mate!

We want you to know that your mascara stood up to over 20,000 feet of elevation gain, 120 miles, countless belly laughs, tears of joy, an inflatable slip and slide, 1 mile of running through a stream and lots of dirt. You were made for sport, thank you for supporting us with product, we certainly put it to the test.

Our well used tube of blinc after 5 days of camping and 97 miles of running. The background is the sea of tents and mountains of Vail, CO.

We noted lots of other competitors rocking their mascara during the race and told so many people about how we tube our lashes! Wearing our "My Mascara Runs Faster Than You" shirts always got a good reception and even superstar runner, Tracy Garneau noticed (she also is a mascara wearer, great for all those podium shots as she and her team mate Nikki Kimball won our age group!)

Sam with Tracy Garneau waiting for stage 5 to get started. Check out those eyes! Check out the legs too but we didn't get that photo!

blinc, our relationship is just getting started. I am running the Sierra Nevada Endurance Run on Saturday and although it promises to be 95 degrees, I will be wearing a gigantic smile and my blinc. Sam is running the Dick Collins Fire Trails 50 miler on October 8, in blinc for sure! Then don't get us started on all the adventures we have in mind for next season. Bring on more blinc, I hope you like long term relationships!

What a Surprise!

2011-09-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

A shirt we saw in Vail after day 5. Us going into TransRockies? Nah!

Hey there, Dana here. I can't believe it has been so long since TransRockies and I haven't posted a thing. Sam did a great job posting the highlights which I share so I will post the surprises, at least surprises to me.

1. We were racing. Yes, I know we signed up for this thing and knew the whole time it was a race. Thing was, I thought it would be a race against the race, against the elevation, against the distance and it truly was all that. BUT! It was also a race against other teams that seemed to be nearby all the time. To put it in perspective, Sam and I had a total run time of 28 hours and 19 minutes. That put us in 6th place. 10th place was only 30 minutes back at 28:48. That means there were 5 places within 30 minutes of each other or just 5 minutes per day. To be more specific most days on the uphills the order of the racers was Sam, all our competitors, me at the bottom, the caboose. Luckily I could cruise the downhills.

2. Sam is an animal. Okay this is actually not surprising, at all. In fact, if you know her you know what an amazing athlete she is but seriously she went to the next level on this race and pushed through blisters and feet that look like she was in the civil war. We also got along insanely well, again, not a surprise that we would get a long but we did FANTASTIC. (She did ask me to marry her in a fit of happiness upon seeing our hotel room on the last day, don't worry gents, Sam is still on the market).

Goofing off post-race.

3. That was luxury. I never felt like I was roughing it at all. The food was amazing. The tents, the help, the people, the support. I can't say enough amazing things about how well organized this race was.

4. Getting back to real life is hard. I am glad to have a race coming up as I definitely need something to focus on. Getting back to working out was fine. Going to work brought me almost instantly to tears as it is about as opposite as you can go from a week running in Colorado to email,desk,work, UGH. Anyone want to pay me to have fun sporting adventures for them? Happy to do it!

TransRockies Highlights

2011-09-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

A Bunch of Highlights (from Samantha and in no particular order and which may be subject to evolve as I continue to relive the memories and pour over the photos.)

1. Soaking in the creeks post-runs. Every run ended near water. Cold, yes. Uncomfortable, yes. But having the option to soak at the end each day was huge. Effective recovery, definitely.

2. Feeling that first nudge of competitive fire on Day 3 when we spotted our competition about 3/4 of a mile ahead towards the very end of the race and we steadily built up our pace, kept our heads down and quickly, quietly passed them with a final 400 yard surge that made us both almost want to throw up. Game on.

3. Bombing the downhill to Red Cliff on Day 4 like I've never run before - fast, confident, seeing the whole rooty, rocky terrain 10 yards ahead of me and like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix, having complete and utter clarity on my direction.

4. Arriving at the top of Hope Pass (12,500 ft) and feeling the sincere euphoria of everyone around us snapping pics and taking videos and high-fiving and turning the mental corner on the long, steep hike it took to get up there.

5. Seeing our friends - new and old - finish every day.

6. Margaritas and fish tacos and friends on the deck at Mango's at the end of Day 4.

7. Running a mile through a stream bed - from ankle deep to mid-calf - in the last 4 miles to Red Cliff. Again, stoked by our closest competitors all entering the stream at the same time, Dana and I surged ahead pep-talking each other through it as exhaustion knocked at our door.

8. Running competitively each and every day right alongside the same teams in our age group vying for top honors amongst the mid-pack. The Island Girls, Mother/Daughter, Wounded Warrior, and Yogis on the Run.

9. Sunrise on Day 6 at Vail. Spectacular. Unfortunately, I was in the med tent getting my toes taped up so no pictures. Unless you want to see my toes.

10. The 7 mile downhill bomber on Day 5 coming into Vail. A few toenails - and patches of skin - sacrificed themselves that day as we crushed 8 minute miles all the way to the end for a hard-fought top five finish.

11. The finish. Careening down the last 2 miles going sub-8 with everything we had left, passing our Michigan friends, Rob and Joe, past the Yogi Girls, down into the chute and being struck with almost dumbfounded elation that it was over. That also might have been fatigue. Euphoric fatigue. Then turning around to see all our friends finish right behind us.

12. The showers. I thought these would be cold and in short supply but every day mobile trucks with 6-7 stalls delivered hot water, room to shampoo, shave, lotion up and head back out for another day of running fresh and clean. Magnificent.

13. The views.

I loved, loved, LOVED this event.

High Fives

2011-08-31T16:47:00.000-07:00

The littlest of high fives to our littlest and most precious fan, Rawlings. Huge thanks to everyone who supported us and left messages and texts and followed our journey along the way. Again, with brains still foggy and work calling, this is far from what we'd like to say with real meaning and big S.A.T words, but we want everyone to know how much it meant to share the experience with you throughout the journey.

It's almost like she's holding an imaginary mascara wand, right? Right?

TransRockies. A Brief Check In.

2011-08-31T15:01:00.000-07:00

It's been three days since we returned from Colorado and while Dana jetted off directly to Penticton, Canada to meet up with her boyfriend, Brian, who was chasing his own goals at Ironman, I came back to San Francisco to nurse my newly dead toenails and the accumulating blisters from the final 2 days.

(Registration pick-up day, Buena Vista, CO)

For both of us, it's still going to take some time to wrap our heads around describing all that we saw and felt and experienced, and everyone we met.

(Day 3, Leadville, CO)

But for those of you who hate suspense, in a nutshell: we rocked it...relatively speaking.

Goal 1: Have fun. SO DONE!
Goal 2: Make it to the starting line each day. SIX OF SIX!
Goal 3: Make it to the finish each day. SIX OF SIX!
Goal 4: Run strong when we can, do our best when we can't. DONE. DONE. DONE.
Goal 5: Finish strong. OH HELL YES.

(Day 2, top of Hope Pass, 12,000+ elevation)

Dana provided a quick synopsis of our stages:

Stage 1: Sam feeling okay, Dana good

Stage 2: Dana in pain cave, Sam on fire

Stage 3: Sam and Dana both have a good day, phew

Stage 4: Dana feels great, Sam on top of world beating Dana up and down hills. Awesome!!!! Want to barf at forced sprint to solidify 5th place in stage finish.

Stage 5: Both okay to start. Bit of nausea for both. We pass our competition, they pass us back, repeat x7 at least!. Sam has worst blisters I have ever seen. Sam finds f**k you blister gear and we run in at 8 min miles. Flying high with hope. Unsure if we will be able to walk tomorrow!

Stage 6: Sam tapes all her toes. Try to find reserve strengths. Sam pulls start. Dana pulls middle. Together we make it up final death march of endless hill to final 2 mile ripping downhill into Beaver Creek. We pass yogis in final 300 yards. Hugs. Tears. Awesomeness.

(Big air)

Final numbers: 28 hours+ of running; 6th place out of 14 in our age group; 2 5th place stage finishes (technically giving us a Top Five spin)

(Day 6, the finish at Beaver Creek)

So much more to share and show but will have to wait. Oh, and yes, we did wear mascara the whole time. And we looked damn good. Stay tuned.

It's not who you know, but who you thank

2011-08-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

Hi all, Dana here. As I sit on my gigantic duffel bag trying desperately to close the zipper I realize it is not only my bag that is so full, but my life. I am full of gratitude right now as I head off to Colorado for this great adventure. I could go on and on about everyone I need to thank but for now the short list:

1. My family. They think it is awesome that I run real far and understand how happy it makes me. That is priceless. My dad reads this blog (awesome). My mom sends awesome cards (see below) and t-shirts and running shoes and is basically our biggest sponsor. Mom, time to get yourself a logo so we can wear it on our shirts!

2. Great friends and co-workers. We have friends writing us cards, buying us foot creams (Kara you are awesome), giving us funny hats (see below- thank you Jessica), asking about our long runs, wanting to track us online, wishing us luck and truly interested in our adventure. Special shout out to the dinner club ladies who are the best and to my co-workers who do their own amazing feats like a Hocks Salto or balance work with babies.

3. Julie Upton. Although we have never met you were willing to talk to me on the phone about your experience at TransRockies last year which was very helpful. I am jealous that you were able to prepare by sleeping in an altitude tent but I will get over it. You told me the thing I have been waiting to hear all my life, "Eat as much as you can!" I will follow that sage advice next week if it is the last thing I do! Thanks as well for lending me the compression gear and sleeping bag. I should be less fatigued and warm!

4. Larissa Polischuk. Coaching, workout plans, speed work ideas, calming advice. How can we thank you? Would bringing home the 80+ ladies category top third placing do it? HA! Thanks for helping us prepare, so fantastic.

5. Brian. Thanks for telling me I look lean, for thinking I am fast, for calling me hard core and for being the best of the best. I will try to channel some of your speed and killer race attitude this week!

6. SAM! Of course Sam. Snarky, strong, hilarious Sam. Thanks for inspiring me, cracking me up, helping me take things less seriously and most importantly being of similar speed so we can spend hours running, chatting, laughing and solving the world's problems one mile at a time!

Oh shoot. I am sure there are so many more people. People I should name specifically (Jennie, Rangsi, Cheyenne, Tina, Troy, Elizabeth, Rachel, Sarah, Julian, Rodrigo, Emily, Nora, Ruth, Neil, Sari) but I won't. For those unmentioned, know you are thanked. I promise to have loads of fun, take pictures and blog all about it when we are done.

Push Up Challenge Complete!

2011-08-17T12:50:00.001-07:00

Dana here! Today was the final day of the Push Up Challenge. We marked the occasion with a lunch break full of push ups. 80 push ups in fact. (for those of you who don't remember we are doing push ups, we started with one and added one per day until we hit our goal of 80 push ups) Maybe our form could have been better. Maybe we could have our elbows in, our butts down and our backs flatter BUT we couldn't have laughed more! Hopefully having fun and getting to the goal makes up for less than perfect form. We can work on perfecting that in days, weeks and months to come.

Rachel, Sarah and Dana pushing up on the bay!

Our friend, photographer and hard core pusher does a push up with Rachel on his back. Show off!

Killer toned arms for lunch!

What do you do before a big race?

2011-08-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

So the countdown is on to the big day. What's an athlete to do while working out less and packing up for 6 days of running? You Bieber yourself. Thanks to our amazing and tech savy friend Rangsiwan we have been Biebered. As in Justin Biebered. Funny that this teenage hairdo makes us both look old.

Okay, so no wigs, just one funny Jimmy Fallon app for the iPhone but it made us laugh just the same. Now onto the more important stuff like packing up sunscreen, buying new socks, stuffing that sleeping bag as small as possible, making the to pillow or not to pillow decision and gathering up the long list of thank yous that will be the next blog post.

The Perfect Playlist?

2011-08-15T23:53:00.001-07:00

Dana's bringing her iPod to Colorado - for the downtime, for the times when we run out of things to talk about (hard to believe I know), for the times we might get separated or just need the extra pick-up.

Do I bring my full iPod with more music than I could ever want or do I make the perfect playlist on my little shuffle? Will I want more cerebral music when I'm feeling the surge of the mountains surround me? Some Armin Van Buuren and Thievery Corp? Or will I want balls out music on a descent - the kind you blast in a convertible headed for the Jersey shore on a hot summer day? AC/DC and Nine Inch Nails. Or will I want show tunes to sing along to and keep me distracted from whatever pain and suffering I might encounter? A Chorus Line, Rent? Or hip hop, and a head-bobbing beat to make me feel gangsta and empowered? Big El and Eminem? Or will I want those surprise gems of days past that always make me smile? Songs by Styx, REO Speedwagon and Hall and Oates. Or will I want whatever Dana's listening to, reaching a critical stage of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) wondering if what she's listening to will make her run faster than what I'm listening to?

It's a little overwhelming. It's what kept me from buying an iPod right away - all that music at the touch of my hand, trying to craft the perfect playlists from unlimited songs with titles I think might remind me of what I stash in them - Long Slow Run, Fast Run, Morning Run, Attitude Adjustment, Mountain Jams, City Tracks, Driving to Work, Driving Home.

I think I'll take the full iPod. What's a little more weight? Better to be overprepared than under. Show tunes alone on a grinding ascent above 10,000 feet on the fourth day might not cut it.

A Quick Look Back

2011-08-15T22:57:00.000-07:00

As noted in the many posts over the last few months, all your RWM news has been coming from my better half, Dana. If it was anyone else, I'd have my excuses in check - work, travel, social commitments, sports, another blog, a long commute, too many carbs slowing down my synapses. But with my travel-nista running partner juggling work spread across multiple continents, an Ironman-training boyfriend, family, friends, spot on training and her quest to make the perfect [insert anything here - bar, muffin, nut butter, hazelnut milk] I have nothing to stand on.

And so, to Dana's mom and all the other Dana loyalists out there who may wonder where the other half of RWM has been and if I've been training and if I'll represent come race day and help make all of Dana's TransRockies goals come true I present you these gratuitous vacation running shots of evidence of my training and commitment while I've been absent from blogging.

(Running on a healthy dose of karma from a monastery outside of Thimphu, Bhutan)

(In northern India, airing it out on the first of a 5 day trek over 12,456 feet. I did not do hill repeats.)

(My first trail run in Bhutan. Short but thrilling. This was clearly my go-to shirt of the trip.)

6+ days and we toe the line in Buena Vista, Colorado to begin our adventure in yet another new place on unfamiliar trails. I've already got a bad playlist running through my head - the kind where you sing a few lines and 35 minutes later you and everyone around you have the same song running through your heads? Who remembers Men at Work? Ain't nothing gonna break my stride? Another topic for another blog. Here we go.

Taper Time!

2011-08-15T22:33:00.000-07:00

Aloha! Fresh off the plane from Kauai and mid-taper before TransRockies, the lungs are chilling, the feets are resting and the legs are tanning - working up that base for the high altitude exposure. All is good the week before we start. Cheery emails from friends and with Dana, 11th hour purchases - a new pack to hold my camera, a new bra to hold my boobs. Things are coming together and the excitement is tangible. I am ALL confidence at the unknown. We will go, we will finish, we will have fun. 2 of the 3 I know for sure.

(Na Pali Coast where I did not run. I hiked. Quickly. With feeling.)

Fresh off a great long weekend in Kauai paddling an outrigger in the Napali Challenge, my upper body is tight, my lower body loose, and my mind all dialed back into running. Truth be told the weeks between my trips to Bhutan/India and Hawaii were not filled with the usual glowing happy running adventures I generally experience. I was solo a lot and running the same trails just to get the miles in. I mean, in the end you never finish a run and think boo hoo, poor me - there's always the natural high from running 12+ miles at dawn and landing at your desk flush with rosy cheeks and a little dirt around the ankles. (Sometimes you have to make the hard decision between cutting a run short to get a shower in or toweling off in the parking lot and heading to work.) But at times it felt a little more like work and a little less fun.

(No work, no running, no cares. View from edge of Hanae, Kauai.)

But now I am ALL IN and super stoked for the adventure ahead. Even a chill 55 minute run through the city got me excited after a week of no running. The miles are logged, the mascara selected. Soon the bags will be packed and Runs With Mascara will make it's official debut. Shabooya.

Salt Point 26k Trail Run

2011-08-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

Taper is fun! Hi all, Dana here. Since I am tapering to be rested for TransRockies next week I have cut my weekly mileage in half. To keep up the intensity I signed up for the Pacific Coast Trail Run at Salt Point. Although a bit of a drive, it was totally worth it. First, Salt Point State Park is a great place! Check out the California coast in this picture- it can't be beat!

Post-race heading home down Highway 1.

The trails were runnable, on varied terrain and provided some great vistas. Doing the 26k or 16.6 miles by my Garmin was the best part as I could run "fast" or at least faster than the all day pace I normally do at races and I loved feeling reckless. I saw 8:20 pace on my watch multiple times and thought of my sister, Nora as we joke that our genetic top speed is 8:30 minute miles!
When I finished I made a resolution to include more shorter distance racing into my training as my competitive spirit is a good motivator for running faster than I would normally.

After the race I checked out the beach, walked meadow edges and stood in the glorious ocean breeze with my fabulous companion Chance. Although the park trails didn't allow dogs there were enough places for us to explore.

Chance is the king of the roadtrip.

Help Wanted: Perfect Running Skirt

2011-08-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

Dana wearing her favorite running skirt in South Africa.

Hi all, Dana here. I have the perfect running skirt and it makes me cry just thinking about it. I remember getting the tip about this skirt. I was running a 30k and a woman I was running with told me about it. I noticed it was cute and she gushed and gushed. I particularly remember her saying, "it doesn't move". I had no idea at the time that not moving is the key to this running skirt. The skirt stays put as do the things I stash in the pockets. The reason I am crying is that the company, Atalanta Athleticwear, went out of business and my skirts (I have 2) won't last forever. What's a girl to do? I have shopped running stores, athletic shops, online, thrift stores, e-bay, you name it. Nothing I have substituted even comes close.

To ease my pain I am putting this challenge out to the world. Make me a perfect running skirt and I will make the world a better place. I will cover lots of ground sharing smiles, laughs, GUs, miles, advice and of course, letting everyone know that there is a running skirt that doesn't bunch, chafe, ride up, dump your pockets, fall down, give you a wedgie or look ugly.

Dana expressing excitement to Yi about a possible perfect running skirt!

To ease my pain further I have given one of the 2 perfect skirts I have to Yi who works at Athleta for inspiration. Maybe they will make one just like it and call it the "mascara". Athleta- may you find inspiration in this skirt. You make totally adorable skirts now, I can't run in them for more than 3 steps as the short shorts underneath cause chafing before I leave the dressing room but you have the style part down. To help you see why my running skirt is so great I have some highlights below:
1) You put this skirt on and there it stays. Like static cling but not in the bad sense! The fabric is heavy enough and stretches/fits in a way that once it is on it doesn't creep up or down it just stays. This means more running less fiddling and more soft skin less chafing. I have run in this thing for 10 hours straight with no problems.
2) The pockets. Don't put the pocket on the leg of the skirt under the skirt part. That is hard to reach, uncomfortable, and it is complicated to go to the bathroom as I do often on a run. Pants go down, headphones pop out, risk your iPod falling into the toilet. The Atlanta pockets are on the outside of the skirt at the sides where it is natural to reach. They literally hold everything still. Keys, one key, iPod, tissue, candy, trash, you name it. I have never lost something from these pockets and I have pulled this skirt up and down hundreds of times. I have lost items from the little side pockets under skirts on the shorts though and somewhere there is a lucky animal with some money getting a latte.
3) The fit of the skirt is straight with no flair out. I think there is a perception that a running skirt may restrict movement so they are all flaring out and loose like you are about to hit the tennis court. No way, let Serena Williams wear those. I am short, the pencil skirt with no flare looks great so why not on my running skirt too. It doesn't restrict movement since it is both short enough and stretchy enough. Dare to go straight down! Double dog dare you! I haven't seen others do it yet!
4) Legs as long as the skirt. Check out the inseams on the shorts. They are at least 3 inches long. They are short enough that they don't poke out of the skirt but cover the length of it fully. No thighs rubbing is a great thing. No riding up is another great thing. I have not found legs extending as long as the skirt in any running skirt as most have very short shorts underneath which just don't cut it.
5) Simple fabric that has nothing extra, nothing swishy, no gimmicks, just plain awesome. (Okay, I really only have 4 things but felt like 5 things would make a stronger argument.)

Just as a side note: The skirt I gave Yi has red shorts. That is the only bad thing as they should have been black for my taste but I could not get any other color and when I heard of the pending business closure I took what I could get!

I am available for product testing, phone discussion of my running skirt disasters (of which I have many), lunch, a run or anything I can do to help you help me and the other hard core girls out there who love running, looking good and avoiding chafing! THANK YOU!

PS- I am not the only one who thought this skirt was the best of the best.
http://www.andherlittledogtoo.com/2010/04/skirt-goddess-love.html
http://www.fitsugar.com/Get-Your-Butt-Gear-Atalanta-Athleticwear-Commitment-Skirt-298467

Volunteering at Mile 92- Headlands 100

2011-08-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

It was an early wake-up call on Sunday. Headlands 100 Mile Endurance Run was on and I was volunteering at mile 92 from 4:00am until 10:00am. Thanks to Pacific Coast Trail Runs for putting on such great events. I was glad I was finally able to give back after racing many of their events all over the Bay Area. Highlights: fighting off a hungry skunk, a strong, beautiful, incredible 70 year old female racer pushing the pace with no problem and some delicious cookies made by another volunteer. The racers looked so strong and it was great to see the positive energy. Inspired my 16 mile run that day for sure!

3 Things I Love About Ultrarunning

2011-08-06T15:09:00.000-07:00

I will have to get Sam's 3 things, but for now, here are mine which came to me while running up the fabulous Dias Ridge trail 15 miles into my run this morning. The 3 things I love about ultrarunning:

1) Women compete with the men, for REAL. I remember the first ultramarathon I watched. It was cold, foggy, horrible and I had just completed my own short, non-ultra race and was really ready to head home to warmth. We stayed at the race site though since one of our friends was racing the 50k and we wanted to see him come in. Our friend, Rick Gaston was an ultramachine and we knew he was going to come in fast (and he still does come in fast, check him out at his blog!) We wait, we shiver, I don't want to be there, we wait, we wait. Then the first runner is sighted down the trail. He is coming in. NO. WAIT. It is not a he. It is a she. It is Caitlin Smith, who I don't know or even know of. All I know is that men are supposed to win races outright. I know that men win, women kick butt but in their own category. Well, this was a game changer for me and made me love the sport immediately. Now that I am in the know and obsessively read ultra blogs and running articles I know that Caitlin regularly kicks boys' asses but so do other women in this sport. Diana Finkel came in second in the 2010 Hardrock 100 OVERALL people. Ann Trason -just look it up, this stuff is mindblowing. And don't even get me started on age, the oldies are the goodies in this sport.

2) I always feel like I win. Running long runs is like heading to battle. You prep for the fight. Training runs, massage, stretching, cross training, eating right, eating almost right, well just eating, then more running. You suit up in your armor, put on your hydration system and hope you make it. Then the battle begins, first it is fun, weeeee, we are winning. Mile 3, mile 5, mile 13, up hills, crossing streams, you are definitely winning, mile 15, eating, staying hydrated, floating over rocks and then after 3 hours the tests start, your battle is on. You trained. There are ups, downs, sometimes it feels like all you can do is just stop, curl up in a ball and nap but then the endorphins rush in, you think of that rockin' song and it kicks on in your head and you are back to life again and pushing, mile 18, mile 22, you on fire. Only on the truly long runs can you experience this true up with the full on down and the amazing feeling of coming back up. It translates into other things as this mental toughness. I love knowing I can push through and it makes me tougher at work, tougher in life and stronger for it. I win.

3) FOOD. Yup, I said it. I like to run real far so I can eat chocolate. I eat chocolate muffins, chocolate milk, chocolate cookies, even chocolate covered broccoli if that was any good. Nothing more satisfying then a post run snack of something sinfully delicious. Looking forward to TransRockies Run as that it going to be 6 days of indulgence.

Dana Ran Here

2011-08-04T09:17:00.001-07:00

Dana on Gellert Hill on the Buda side of Budapest.

The "Hell Yeah!" Statue that greets you after the climb up Gellert Hill.

Castle Hill home of the Royal Palace and Mathias Church.

If it isn't clear from a 2 week break in blogging and posts of me all over the world, I been a bit busy. Hi all, Dana here! So a work trip took me for 2 weeks to 5 countries in Europe. The visits were to Hungary, Serbia, Italy, France and Ukraine, in that order! The goal was of course to get work done, but the real goal was to get in 100 miles of running and complete all push-ups since the push-up challenge is still going which meant 728 total push-ups while I was there. The spoiler: DID IT! I was able to run two 20 mile runs, one in Serbia to the Monastery I posted last and one through Kiev. Multiple other runs were fantastic and posts are to follow. The biggest problem was when my luggage was lost and I had to take a few days off from running and buy all new running attire from shoes to hat to bra to hand held water bottle. (I think that is a whole other story for another post!) Anyway, the photos above are my first day of the trip in Hungary about 1 hour after my plane landed. I got right out to see the sights of the old city and was rewarded with a hot rain, a statue that said, "Hell Yeah you run those hills!" and views that I just could not capture on my iPhone. You have seen Serbia, next post, Italy (no running, just some amazing shots of food since this was where I had no clothes or shoes only the sweatpants on my back!)

Dana Ran Here!

2011-08-02T16:15:00.001-07:00

Photo by Ivo Andric

Čačak, Serbia home of faith tourism. 10 miles out of town to the Monastery of Sretenje. Built in the 1600s.

Follow us, like us, share us!

2011-07-18T08:45:00.001-07:00

If you scroll down to the bottom of the blog you can subscribe to get blog posts are they happen. Don't let mascara news pass you by! You can also share our stories on Facebook or Tweet them to your own followers.

How come we didn't know about this before?!?!

2011-07-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

ULTRARUNNER PODCAST.COM
News, links and of course, great podcasts!

Tahoe Rim Trail Race Report

2011-07-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

Mountains= gorgeous
Snow capped mountains plus lakes= double gorgeous with a cherry on top!
Altitude= Can't breathe= walking hills
Able to run for 8 hours= awesome ninja skill
Total= great day and glad to be back in San Francisco where the foggy air is so thick you can eat it for breakfast.

Feet on Fire

2011-07-15T13:17:00.001-07:00

Dana here- I am off to Tahoe. On Saturday I will run the Tahoe Rim Trail 50k. Sam is sad to be missing after racing here 2 years in a row but is having fun trekking in India.

People have been asking if I am ready, how I feel, am I excited? I will tell you. There is a euphoria associated with being ready to run and confident you can tear it up (even when tearing it up is 80^th place!) It comes to me a few days before an event while on a run, in the car, while packing up and it is awesome. Hills have small welcome signs and you are a VIP. Your butt is just like Kara Goucher and you look amazing in bun huggers. Your hair is blond with gorgeous highlights. Your lashes are so long they touch your sunglasses. The Talking Heads are live in concert jamming with Rhianna and the Black Eyed Peas on your iPod. You are 10 pounds lighter. You run 8 minute miles in 6. You are tan, have perfect teeth and there is a small puff of smoke that trails behind you with each step because you are on fire.

(Photo without citation borrowed from a strange blog also worshiping Kara Goucher)

Wink

2011-07-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

Bet you think this is going to be about mascara! Nope! No mascara but we do have a long overdue product review of the newest hydration system for RWM, the Ultimate Direction Wink. Dana has been running with this pack since the Western States training weekend over Memorial Day.

Bottom line: LOVE!
Details: We have handhelds, we have small hydration packs, we have expedition size packs but what was missing was the mid-size supported run with mandatory gear pack to use at TransRockies! That meant big enough for stuff but not a huge bladder since refills were going to be available. The Wink was ordered and it has not disappointed. First, to get it out of the way, the pack is pretty! The blue color is fantastic which isn't so important for staying hydrated but doesn't hurt when trying to look cool. There are enough back pockets to store small stuff (keys, money) and big stuff (extra food and long sleeve shirt) and there is enough room for that TransRockies mandatory gear (blister kit, hat, gloves, jacket). There are loops for running poles, a mesh pocket for stuffing maps or whatever you need and that adjusts to hold your precious items tight. The real seller though are the multiple pockets in front on the straps and the double front sternum straps. First the front pockets. There are 4 of them. Probably enough room to stash 1,000 calories in bar, gel or sandwich form and never need to stop, ever. Small stash pockets hold lip balm tight. Big pockets zip in food and don't let it go (until you want it!) When you eat as much as Dana, this is nirvana! As for the sternum straps, with 2 of them the pack literally doesn't move. So no annoying bounce, no chaffing.

Get one at Zombie Runner, you won't be sorry!

Dana's pack isn't looking so pretty after some dirty wet miles and a hungry dog got to it but trail running isn't the cleanest sport. The pack will be packed come time for Transrockies for sure!No, Dana can't sew. She will stick to baking from now on!

Four in a Row

2011-07-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

Self portrait of me and my Joint Juice Glucosamine. It tastes good after a long run (or four days in a row of running) and gives me hope that I will still be running 30 years from now! I do mix it with water.

Hi all. Dana here! I am officially on the countdown to Colorado. Transrockies is about a month away and I am really ramping up the running. I am running! And running. I am eating, stretching and then on to more running. I am drinking spinach smoothies (sounds bad but tastes great) and eating anything on my co-workers' desks that looks like they might not finish, then I run again! I have made 2 significant changes to my running routine this week.

1) Less iPod, more brain. Turns out I have some great ideas when I have some time to actually just think. I would love to say I have solved the world's problems but I have come up with great recipe ideas (oh yes I did make homemade Nutella!), gift ideas (need to say thank you for putting up with my obsessive running) and ideas for doing my job better (yes, sometimes work does creep in). I gave up the iPod when I realized that Tranrockies mid-pack runners take about 30 hours to finish and I computed that even if I only listened for 1/3 of the event that I will need 10 hours of music and podcasts that are new and exciting. So we will see how long I last but at this rate I should have about 5 each of my favorite podcasts saved up for down moments during the race. Thank you for asking, my favorite podcasts are: This American Life, Planet Money, Ben Greenfield Fitness and Radiolab. Go download a few and then head out for a run without your iPod, you never know what you may think up!

2) 4 in a row! I am starting to train in more race like conditions. I have been running hills for breakfast, lunch and dinner, that hasn't changed. What has changed is my Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday running schedule. I have swapped that luxury schedule with lovely days of indoor cycling between runs for running four days in a row with one fifth run thrown in for speed. Last week the 4 in a row set was 9 miles, 10 miles, 9 miles, 15 miles. This week is a funny one with a 50k race so I plan on 6 miles, 6 miles, 32 miles, 15 miles. I am finding that when I am on the fourth day my knees are asking me what is going on. My feet are curious why I am putting on running shoes and not my bike shoes. My running clothes are all dirty and I am out of GUs. The good news is that I am having fun with the change and adding in one day of speed in the 3 days between 4 day sets is a mental boost (I CAN run fast when there aren't gigantic hills in my way!) Next week my four in a row lands in 3 countries (Hungary, Italy and France) so that will be fun. I will let you know how it goes. I think by then my legs will be used to it. Hopefully it won't be too much to ask during race week to go just two more days to make it a six in a row!

Jealousy, part 2

2011-07-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

Update on Sam from Dana:

"Still no luck hearing from the marathon organizers but I'm going to ask the hotel guy."

Samantha sends out a mass email about how great Bhutan was, how wonderful a day trip to Delhi turned out and how she is in Leh, a place I have wanted to visit since seeing the Bollywood movie, Three Idiots (highly recommended, the theme music makes some good running tunes as well!)

She ends with the highly mysterious and seriously teasing last line pasted above (and now again for dramatic effect) "Still no luck hearing from the marathon organizers but I'm going to ask the hotel guy."

WHAT?!?! Now Sam is going to run a marathon in Leh at 11,000 feet, in the place I have been coveting visiting. I am cramping with jealousy. The jealousy pains are really starting to hurt now. I need salt tabs, I need a massage, I need to be on this trip obviously! Sam, this trip of yours is killing me. Enjoy every moment.

Can I freak out for a minute?

2011-07-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

Larissa, coach of RWM- photo from Scott Dunlap's blog (A Trail Runner's Blog)

Email from Dana to coach: "Can I freak out for a minute?"
Email response (exaggerated and paraphrased) from coach: "You don't need to freak out, you will run and run some more and it will be great and I will email you tomorrow to make sure you are spending more time running than freaking out."

Ahhhh, sign of relief. We all need friends, lots of friends. We need the "you don't look fat" friends, the "come running with me" friends, the "I know you just want to cry but c'mon you look better when you laugh" friends and the "eat another scone" friends. We also need sage advice givers, heroes and teachers. Well thank you to Larissa Polischuck for being in our circle. Larissa is a hardcore runner, TRX guru, crossfit crosser and OUR COACH. Larissa can be found blogging, running, smiling and helping RWM not die at Transrockies.

THANKS FOR TALKING DANA DOWN LARISSA. She is going to run some hill repeats now!

Sam is visiting the Tiger's Nest in Bhutan (JEALOUSY HURTS)

2011-07-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

Taktshang Monastery, Bhutan. Photo by Douglas J. McLaughlin (Photograph edited by Vassil)

Dear Sam,

If you are running while visiting the Tiger's Nest in Bhutan (see picture above blog readers) I will positively die of jealousy! Just don't tell me if you are. Keep it to yourself. Okay, I am silly to think you are running, this place is probably at 10,000 feet or more. You are probably wishing you could be running but the whole not breathing and only energized by yak butter thing is probably a limiting factor. I am jealous anyway. Don't forget to come back!!! Miss you,

Dana

3 gadgets Dana is into right now

2011-07-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

You have to love a three day weekend. Running, eating, flag waving, more running. Slurpees to tame the heat, corn on the cob, friends. In honor of three days of playing here are three gadgets Dana is totally into right now.

Her Garmin Forerunner 310. Well more specifically the bird's eye view of runs already completed. You can check out her run through Paris here: PARIS! Once you see the file click on bird's eye view and soar over the Eiffel Tower.
Her Vitamix. If you don't know what that is it is basically a blender with a boat motor. So far this weekend she has made horchata, 3 types of vegetable juice, root beer slurpees, pancake batter, basil dip and on cue are the makings for Nutella.
resurf.a.stic by blinc. So blinc is the amazing company that sent Runs with Mascara free product after we told them how we ran the Grand Canyon wearing blinc. They sent their amazing mascara (It just DOES. NOT. RUN. If you are an athlete run don't walk to buy this stuff now) and their entire product line as well. WOW. Turns out they make a stick with an exfoliation end that makes this type of deep cleaning easy. It also smells GREAT and it is so easy to use.

So happy Independence Day to all. Hope your day is full of healthy food, healthy skin and mapped memories of amazing journeys!

Diana Finkel, Karl Metzer and Dana Katz in the Hoka club

2011-07-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

So it is official, Dana's Hoka's are here to stay. This is what she is saying about them:

"They are like running on a marshmallow, in a good way"
"It is like switching from a hardtail mountain bike to a fully suspended bike."
"The downhilling is insanely good. NO hurting knees, feet feel great. I roll right over things."
"No. More. Foot pain!"

So Dana has now done 4 runs of 3+ hours and tons of climbing on the Hoka Mafate Women's and it moved her to take the Hoka ad and put herself in it! (see above) She tried the Hoka's to relieve pain on the bottom of her feet (or maybe to try and be super fast like Diana Finkel!) and it worked. 20+ mile runs involve no foot pain. In the rain they did just fine, in the heat they were great (reports say they are pretty hot but that wasn't a problem for her). The only problem was a stink that smelled like rotten meat after a wet run but after a few hours of baking them in the sun that seemed to go away.

At this point the only drawback is the high price and the goofy look (although when you have great lashes with blinc mascara and an adorable running skirt, no one should be looking anyway!)

Push Up Challenge

2011-07-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

Runs with Mascara has been participating in a Push Up Challenge. The challenge is one push up added each day through 80 days. So you do one push up on day one. You do two push ups on the next day, then build up and up and up. We need something to balance all this running!
Today we are on day 33 so this morning I did 33 push ups in sets of 5 since my arms are so sore!
So far we have recruited bunches of friends and co-workers into this challenge and by the time we are done everyone I know should have buff arms and back. The best is that with all this work/play travel Team RWM will have done push ups in 10 countries and 7 states by the time 80 days are up.

Until we have pictures of ourselves doing push ups in Kiev or Serbia or Bhutan or Hawaii you can see what our push-up contest looks like in the office. YES, we do push ups in our work clothes since missing a day is just not an option!

Co-worker, Rachel getting push ups done between work!

Excited to be done for the day (and no one saw her sneaking in the work out!)

Girls Rule!

2011-06-26T21:33:00.001-07:00

We're digging this video on the SHE Network right now.

And while we're talking ladies and sports, get your game over to ESPN W to keep up with the Women's World Cup. Go girls!

TransRockies Goes Vogue

2011-06-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

We knew we were on to something!

When you're digging out the latest Vogue (June 2011) from your beach bag head to page 122 where the fashionistas of Madison Ave have dubbed the GoreTex TransRockies Run The Ultimate Challenge.

Coincidentally, we just received an adorable little bag of tantalizing Blinc products to test-drive out on the trails! Dirt meets fashion. Makeup meets sweat. It's a good time to be a girl!

What would Shannon Farar-Griefer wear?

2011-06-15T23:11:00.000-07:00

Game on! Runs With Mascara just upped the ante in their professional-like standing with the debut of their new 2011 race shirts. These aren't your run-of-the-mill killer logo on the front of a wicking long sleeve, cut for a woman's body that makes us look good t-shirt. Hell no. These are Runs With Mascara Elite Racing Team unis. That's uniforms, not unitards.

Look out Trans-Rockies. Big lashes coming through.

Note: Shannon Farar-Griefer is a fellow mascara girl and founder of our favorite sleeves, Moeben. Although we've yet to actually meet her we think she was running at the WS100 training camp last month and she, like us, runs with a little glam. Unlike us, she runs really, really, really far. I wonder what mascara she uses?

Preparation, or lack thereof

2011-06-15T22:08:00.001-07:00

What do you do when you have 62 hours before an 8-hour mountain bike endurance event - i.e. you go around a loop of 8-12 miles as many times as you can in 8 hours - and you haven't been on your bike more than 1x a week for the past few months? Or in some cases, at all this year?

1. You buy new running shoes. (See last post).
2. You plan a killer outfit to save some face with style points. (See future post).
3. You start talking about all the great stories that will come of it. (See hopeful future post).

(Dana, Samantha, Jessica post Tamarancho ride, 2009.)

Runs With Mascara is not afraid to jump into an adventure, albeit we prefer to show up with some level of mastery, some basic training beneath our fuel belts to at least give it a go. But travel, other commitments, other interests have all conspired against RWM this time. At least one of us thinks she can still pull something decent out of the day based on willpower, massive running and Crossfit workouts. The other hopes to find that her competitive spirit is right there with her, just as ready to transition from running to biking - if not with equal passion or skill - and propel her to do better than she expects.

RWM endeavors to give our all to whatever we commit to but we can't always represent 100%. Races, training, nutrition, time with friends and lovers (time looking for lovers), work, travel, sleep, reading, blogging, and the small choices we make each day, choosing one thing over another intervene. So we learn to accept. To juggle our expectations for the day. Half of us is choosing to have another glass of wine right now when we should be going to bed meaning we'll get up a little later, making our run a little later, making our work day start a little later making us a little more frenzied... But we digress.

Come Saturday we'll be out there with our bikes tuned, helmets strapped on, high-fiving with friends; no doubt a little anxious about the unknown suffering that lies ahead and how long it takes 8 hours to pass on a mountain bike. We'll be awkwardly unprepared - not an ideal state when you tend to think of yourself as a semi-serious, competitive athlete - but with good spirits intact and a give-it-our-best-shot mentality. That's sort of what RWM is all about. One: Train hard, two: race hard, three: find a way to have fun. If one and two fail, hold on to three.

You can read more about Samantha clinging desperately to three as she reached her lowest goal in an outrigger race here.

Wish us luck this weekend!

Girls Love Shoes!

2011-06-15T21:28:00.001-07:00

Like other girls, Runs With Mascara loves shoes: the material, the craftsmanship, the color, the trending factor. Okay, maybe not because they're the new trend but because we've seen them or read so much about them and - like many of you - tried to tell ourselves we don't need them until we do, we absolutely do, and we lock our sights on them.

Funny thing is our sights here at RWM sent us veering off in two different directions.

Samantha took the easy way out with her shopping and ordered a pair of Inov-8 Flite 230's from Zappos. She'd first seen them on a friend at Crossfit a month or so ago and loved the look. Was it the guy or the shoes? Hard to say - Samantha has always been a fan of men's styles. What sealed the deal was seeing a dozen or so frontrunners at last weekend's Dipsea Run wearing them - shades of red and royal blue and green on runners flying down the trail at speeds some can only dream of. They are light. Light, light, light. Minimalist light. Like slippers with a little running sole for traction. And sweet colors. The order went through Monday, the shoes arrived Tuesday, she debuted them at Crossfit on Wednesday. First impression? "I feel like I could be fast." The result: lots of compliments on the color. More thorough testing and analysis to come.

Dana went the glamorous route - to France, home of Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent; but more important to trail runners, home of the Hoka One One designers; makers of the shoes Dana has been oogling on the likes of Karl Metzer; obsessing on all she could track down on the Web. She is now the proud owner of a pair of Mafate Women's. Look at the pillowy rise on those things. You don't know whether to tuck them under your head and take a nap or spring out the door bounding with energy. These will be head-turners back in the states. At press time, Dana had yet to take a maiden spin on these cloud-like beauties beyond a quickie around the block. Initial impression? A little strange. But she's stoked to test them out further on the flatlands of the Netherlands and then back home, on the hills of Mt. Tam.

Will either shoe make it to Trans-Rockies? Stay tuned for more thorough investigative coverage.

On the Move

2011-06-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week for RWM as we close out a strong stretch of running starting with the Western States 100 training camp last weekend. It was 48 hours of beautiful views along the American River; laughter, groans; upbeat, encouraging volunteers; and the usual friendly, fellow trail runners. Add in the hot tub, a beer sampler and some hot dogs and it was solid gold. If only we could've answered yes when people asked "Are you running Western States?" Not this year, people, not this year.

While it seems like it's been raining almost every weekend here in California, we've managed to squeeze in some long runs between the rain (and hail) and again today, after a deluge saturated the area Saturday.

Not that RWM is afraid of a little rain. Yesterday, half of us went up into the hills of Marin to train in the mud and half of us paddled in an outrigger boat before jumping ship for the treadmill. There is no shame in a treadmill workout. We learned a lot about Rugby 7's and in particular, a handsome young Cal player by the name of Blaine Scully. We watched the Nike Prefontaine classic and felt lighter, faster on our feet as the 100 meter women's race went off and Carmelita Jenner destroyed the competition. Is it ever too late to dream of running in a sports bra and bun huggers? We think not.

RWM also logged some couch time over the weekend watching a BBC documentary called Why Thin People Aren't Fat (On YouTube in 7 segments) and the classic chick flick meets Vin Diesel movie, G.I. Jane. Yes, our tastes, like our running speeds (sort of), run the gamut.

All in all, things are good in the RWM camp. We're honing in on our gear list, checking our bodies at the massage door, trying out shoes and outfits and nutrition and mascara; maintaining our mileage and our aplomb; sending out letters to our lucky endorsements and doing what we set out to do: have fun and enjoy the journey leading up to TransRockies.

Good luck to RWM friends racing in the next few weekends at the Silicon Valley International Triathlon and the San Diego 100 Mile endurance run. And a special shoutout to our future mascara-wearing adventure glamazon - Rawlings Riley Skelton - born last weekend to long-time mascara-wearer, Jennie, and her husband Chris.

Now get out and run, jump, twirl, bend, flex, peddle, spin and do what you do in the great outdoors.

First Steps

2011-06-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

Our first official Runs with Mascara endorsement letter went out yesterday to blinc.

Unlikely company to approach first? No way! This isn't your sophomore year Marketing 101 class. This is free flow, fluid, marketing by how we feel when we're outdoors. When we're sweating and laughing and crying and pushing our limits all in the name of adventure and fun.

Stay tuned for updates on a response or look for Runs With Mascara in the next viral video craze: 2 girls in running skirts and big, campy, glammy lashes charging up Marincello.

You Never Forget Your First

2011-06-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Vespa.
Peter.
Western States 100 training camp.
You had us at "try one."

How could you have known we were just diving in to our sponsorship crusade? On the precipice of opening a new avenue for willing - even unwilling - sponsors? Our journey to TransRockies as much about physical and mental preparation as it is about promotion and creativity?

Runs With Mascara received its first unofficial sponsor Sunday morning when Peter, a distributor for Vespa who'd strategically parked beside us, handed us 2 Vespas minutes before we headed out on the 20 mile training run.

Whether it was the high from that unsolicited sponsorship or the Vespa itself, this Runs With Mascara girl saw a noticeable boost in effort that day with her usual minimal intake of food. And while the price point of Vespa originally raised eyebrows, given this first time exposure, I think it's safe to say we'll be testing it out again.

More firsts on the weekend runs? Socks, a new hydration pack, a new running skirt. Stay tuned for updates.

Big lashes, strong legs

2011-05-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

It's official - we have a blog. And a logo (thank you, Lindy!). Which makes it official, right?

(Crewing at the Boggs 8 hour Mountain Bike Race - 2010)

Team Runs With Mascara officially debuts late this summer at the 2011 GORE-TEX TransRockies Run in northern Colorado.

Runs With Mascara is Dana Katz and Samantha Pinney - training partners and friends for the past 3 years; adventurers with a flair for musicals and running skirts, and a generous respect for looking good when sweating hard. While they've had many adventures across the West, one of their more epic spans was a week they spent racing from the Bizz Johnson trail marathon in northern California to rappelling in Arches National Park, to biking the White Rim trail in southern Utah to running the Moab half marathon. This is their first race endeavor as a team under the name Runs With Mascara.

Samantha Pinney overcame the malls of her New Jersey youth for an obsession with the outdoors that carries her from skiing to ultra running to outrigger canoeing and whatever adventures she can find. She can't imagine life without running skirts, flip flops or beanies and wields a kettlebell as deftly as she does a mascara wand. She competed in the 2010 Crossfit Team Games, has multiple top 10 finishes to her name but can't throw a softball to save her life. She'd like to be a better surfer.

Dana Katz is a recovering triathlete and cyclocross racer turned ultrarunner. She eats hills for breakfast that she doctors with homemade concoctions of flaxsee and ginger granola in her ongoing quest to create ridiculously healthy and delicious meals. Dana is a globetrotter who in a recent span ran a 1/2 marathon in Brazil, a trail run in Sweden, a marathon in northern California and a harried loop amongst the monuments of Washington D.C before boarding a plane. She doesn't leave home without her running skirt and snacks. Don't let Dana's easy-going, amicable personality fool you; she trains like a warrior and competes with a vengeance.