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"Wilderness is not only a condition of nature, but a state of mind and mood and heart."
~Ansel Adams~ Friday night was a fun night run in Yosemite with Linda & Julia. We ran out from Tiogo rd to Tamarack flat campground to El Cap look out and back 25 miles. We could see the fire near Forresta and the sunset was awesome. I saw a lot of bats on the run along with a couple scorpions and lots of centipedes
;-)The weather was perfect just a long sleeve shirt was needed ;-) never got very cold. It was one of those run where I just reflected on life and where my journey has taken me. I was lucky to be able to discover Yosemite after I got clean & sober and feel in love with it in 1994. I really became connected to Yosemite and the wild places it has to offer in 2002 when I spent weeks on end here mourning the loss of my Mom. I basically lived out of my car and ran up Half Dome every day and to Clouds rest and beyond. I explored alone. It was a peaceful time and healing time.

The place has holds so many memories it is where I first rock climbed it was where I met my x-husband. It was where I met so many amazing climbers and people who loved life. It was fun being a dirt bag there off and on a few Summers.

It will always hold a special place in my heart. It has been my personal get away. It teaches me something each time my feet hit the trails there.

Ok Wasatch 100 is coming up fast. Next Friday I will head out to run and hopefully get finish #6 there.
Please send me positive vibes next weekend.

Heading to Sierra madre with Rocky tomorrow to visit Andy woo hoo looking forward to seeing him ;-) have a great weekend.

Posted by Catra at 12:35 PM 6 comments: 
Happiness is never stopping to think if you are. Fun times in Yosemite with my Co-workers Ashely & Maryann. We had a blast. My roommate Jerry came too. I love showing people one of my favorite places on earth ;-) it makes me happy. We spent two days and packed in the fun stayed at Camp 4 the famous climbers camp. Showed them all around the valley ;-) We also all climb Mt. Dana 13,050 ft in Tuolumne the girls both made it to the top. I was impressed by them. We all made it safely up and down. Look forward to running in Yosemite Friday with my friend Linda. Just a couple more weeks until Wasatch 100 ;-) woo hoo

Posted by Catra at 12:51 PM 2 comments: 
Stevens creek 50k Ran Stevens creek 50k yesterday and it was all good until 4.5 miles with I fell. I was running downhill fooling with my ipod not paying attention, and bam. I went sliding on my left side. My hand and thigh got pretty shredded. I was ready to bail, but jumped up and cleaned the blood up a bit and kept going. I was much slower then I had wanted to be but was happy to make it to 20 miles in 4:45. I was kinda thinking of quitting there, but the winner Jean was so helpful at getting me what I needed I somehow just kept going.
At this point it was getting hot and I knew it was going to get ugly. I could tell how bad people were looking that it was going to be tough climbing back out from the turn around. When I saw my friend Fast Jerry not looking so pretty, I thought yikes !!!I hope I can make it back out and get to the finish ;-) I was happy to finally get to the turn around. I refueled and got ice in my bandanna to put around my neck. My energy was totally gone, and I just inched my way up the steep climb. I only had 6.5 miles to go but it was brutal.
I was exhausted on that climb and pretty much walk most of that 6.5 miles to the finish. I did pass 4 people in that section so was happy ;-) I finished in 8:19 didn't think I could be so slow running a 50k but after falling and having run a hundred miler the week before I was happy I made it.
The best news was my new Stinson B's were awesome!! My toenails that were ripped almost all the way off at Headlands hundred last week were fine. In fact my legs and feet never hurt at all. It was my energy from the heat and not eating that zapped me. Congrats' to everyone who ran Stevens creek 50k. And thanks to the RD Steve Patt for putting this run on ;-)))

Posted by Catra at 12:03 PM 7 comments: 31:43 woo hoo I finished my 3rd HH mile run. It wasn't easy but come on it's a hundred mile race and I wouldn't do it if it was ;-)
I was having a great run until mile 32 when my left toe hit a rock it felt like my toe got ripped off ;-( it really hurt but I regrouped and just kept going.
I knew Jerry was coming to pace me so I thought I will call, him and have him, bring my raid light running poles. I manged to start running again after I figured out it wasn't broken just throbbing and swollen. I knew I needed to change to bigger shoes at mile 50.

The weather was over cast , foggy and drizzly the whole time except around 2:30 on Sunday when I finished. I picked up my first pacer Jerry at mile 50 he kept me going with all his stories he kept my mind off the issues I was having. I started having bad stomach pains for a stretch. I ended up taking an antacid and it helped for most of the run.
I realized it's hard to run with a headlamp in the fog. Since I needed both hands for my poles I wasn't using a hand held.
I had been shooting for a sub 30 hour finish but knew it wouldn't be my day so I just changed it up to a sub 32 hour finish ;-)
You always need a back-up plan when running ultra marathons ;- I picked up Julia for some girl time for the last 25 miles she kept me going with games; like what each of us would do if we got $100,000 bucks. She also told me stories about reality shows on T.V and some other wacky stuff that I can't even remember but she kept me going.

I blamed her for getting us lost 2 miles before the finish. But we weren't lost. It was just my whacked out mind thinking I was.

Thanks to all of you for sending me positive thoughts. This was my 78th finish of 100 miles or more. Time to start training for Wasatch 100 which is next month ;-))

Also thank you to the RDs Micheal & Sarah of PCTR awesome job. Thanks to all the volunteers but most of all thanks to my pacers Jerry & Julia who got me to the finish. And thanks Mikey Mike for coming out to see me finish and giving me a ride home ;-)

Posted by Catra at 1:01 AM 6 comments: 
"Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself." Headland hundred ready or not here I come! I will be running Headland Hundred this weekend going for my 3 finish. Looking forward to it.
I have been trying to adjust being back in Fremont. I love Sierra madre and the East side of the Sierras. Glad I got to spend time on the trails with all my friend during my vacation.
I hope to get back by next month to do Mt. Langley and of course New Army pass again. I might even do Whitney in October ;-)
Ok everyone send me those positive thoughts this weekend while I am running HH ;-)))

Posted by Catra at 11:04 AM 1 comment: