Bear Lake Trifecta

3 days, 3 marathons, 3 states - The Bear Lake Trifecta!

Months leading up to the races:  I just have to say that injuries suck!  I have been battling with knee pain since the Buffalo 100 back in March.  I tripped and fell and hit my left knee on a rock during that race and it hasn't been the same since.  In hopes of a quick recovery I tried to do all that I could - ice, strength exercises, foam rolling, long periods without running (10 days - that's pretty long for me!), using a TENS unit, and even going to see the doctor.   The doctor said that I had runner's knee caused by the fall.  He said that I could take 3 months off of running to see if that works OR back off on my mileage and keep running.   The month leading up to the Trifecta, I took 2 weeks off running.  2 weeks before I ran 4 miles.  And then the week before a 4 mile run and then a big whopping 6 miles a few days later.  After 6 miles is when my knee usually freaks out, so I didn't want to cross the threshold.  Heading into the Trifecta, I had no idea what to expect.  I didn't feel properly trained at all and definitely not fully recovered.  Last year, I completed the back to back (Idaho/Utah).  This year they added a 3rd marathon (Wyoming) and I love a new challenge!  I kept telling myself one marathon at a time and we will see how it goes! 

MARATHON #1 - WYOMING - THURSDAY

The Wyoming race was set for Sunday.  Jared the race director is AWESOME and let those who preferred not to race on Sunday, race Wyoming on Thursday instead. 
There was only a handful of us that opted to run it on Thursday making it a really, really, really small field.   It was fun seeing familiar faces at the starting line.  Garrett - I met him last year.  He was the winner of both back to back races last year.  Rachel and Marcie were there as well, both amazing runners taking on the Trifecta challenge.  Shortly after 6 a.m. we were off.  It wasn't too long that everyone was spread out and I was pretty much running by myself.  Unfortunately, I was still dealing with a head cold.  It was weird to hear myself breathing so deeply out of my mouth so I turned on my music, found a rhythm and prayed that my knee would hold out. The course was an out and back out in the country with not much to look out well except for the occasional cow.  There were plenty of mosquitoes as well.  Luckily, I only ended up with a few bites.  I hit mile 6, and then 7, 8, 9 - no knee pain! 
I also passed a group of about 5 runners who started an hour earlier.  It was good to see someone out on the course and yell a quick "good morning"!  About mile 12, I saw Garrett heading back from the turn around.  He was cruising!  He yelled to me that the turnaround was spray painted in green arrows on the road and to look for it so I wouldn't miss it.  I was excited to finally see the turnaround.  I planned on taking the first marathon at an easy pace and finishing around 3:40-3:50.  I was well on target for a 3:40.  AND then my knee started aching.  Not my left "injured" knee, my right one.  WHAT?!   It was my IT band and it was throbbing.  And soon after that all too familiar left knee pain returned.  I slowed my pace down, which helped a little, but every step was still painful.  Just make it to the finish!  With 6 miles to go, I would walk briefly, and then begin to run again.  It was so deflating and so discouraging!  I finally made it to the finish in 3 hours and 55 minutes.  Once I stopped running, the pain in my right knee went away and I just had a dull ache in my left.  What to do now?!  Rest, recover (chocolate milk, ice bath, sitting in the lake, massage, foam roller, raspberry shake) and decide whether my knees could last another day.

 MARATHON #2  - IDAHO - FRIDAY
Waking up, my legs felt pretty good, just a little tight.  My left knee felt a little sore.  I decided to run and just see how far my knees would let me go.  And on a positive note, the head cold was on the way out!  On Thursday, I had ran with a strap on my left leg.  I ditched the strap and opted to use KT tape instead to see if that would make a difference.  Just after 5 a.m. we loaded up on buses to the start line in Montpelier, Idaho.  It was good to chat Aaron and Kimberly who were pacing this race.  The Idaho course this year was a little different than last year.  Instead of an out, a loop, and then come back, it would be point to point.   The race started at 6 a.m.  From the moment I took my first step, my IT band on my right knee flared up.  Oh great!  This could get ugly fast.  Luckily, by mile 2, it settled down a bit.   The course meandered through some of the streets of Montpelier and then headed to Dingle.  Once we hit Dingle, the course was dirt roads around farm fields.  I was familiar with this part, since it was the same as last year.  Both knees at this point hurt, but I could keep running.  I felt sluggish the first 8 miles, but then by mile 9 I felt pretty good and picked up my pace a little.  After the dirt roads, came the paved road down Dingle and then back onto a dirt road that would lead to the hot springs (the start/finish of last year's race).  I loved running this section!  Even though there were small hills, there was nice shade running next to the mountain.  I was trying to stay positive and look for the good and tried to forget the fact that my knees were killing me.  Luckily at mile 16, I saw Chad and the kids.  I asked Chad for some ibuprofen, which ended up being a lifesaver.  It took the edge off the pain and I kept on running.  At about mile 18, the course turned from dirt roads back to pavement at the hot springs.  8 more miles until the finish.  At this point, we were running on the north side of Bear Lake. 

I wish I have enjoyed it more.  I turned up my music in hopes to mentally block out the pain.  Luckily I didn't have to walk, and just kept counting songs, and watched the mile markers slowly go by.  The last 2 miles were on a dirt road and then finally the finish.  3 hours 52 minutes. 

The soreness definitely started to set in.   Will my knees last another day?!  I seriously started to question whether I should race one more day.  How much beating could my knees take.  Rest, recover, and refuel with 2 huge cheeseburgers and a large order of fries - sooo good!

MARATHON #3 - UTAH - SATURDAY

One more to go!!!  The Utah course was different from last year, but still my favorite out of the 3 courses.  The start was in Laketown. 

Day 3.  Anything can happen.  One foot in front of the other and keep on running.   Even though my legs were sore and tired, I soon fell into a good rhythm and to my surprise my knees didn't hurt as bad as they had the previous 2 days.  Heading out of Lakeland the course ran up the east side of Bear Lake to about mile 6.5 mile. Turnaround and come back.  Then the course ran alongside the south part of the lake until mile 15 where it turned off to a dirt road.  Once hitting the dirt road, it started to get really warm.  I instantly thought of Lexi.  Lexi was running the half marathon and this was part of the course that she was taking on as well.  This was her 2nd half marathon.  She had completed her first half marathon - Jordan River half at the end of May.  She ran with a lady the last few miles and they both encouraged one another to the finish.  It was a hot day and a challenging course and she conquered it!  So proud of her!!!

Back to the dirt!  I didn't mind running on dirt even though it slowed my pace.  It eventually turned back to paved road and I was getting closer to the finish line.

mile 20

The road to nowhere

I saw Chad at about mile 20.  The half marathon course turned to the left and the marathon course kept going straight down the road that felt like it was heading out to nowhere.  Only a 10k left!!  The road to nowhere turned and became the road with some uphills.  Quite the challenge with fatigued legs, but I kept plugging through.  Finally at about mile 23 the course offered a rewarding downhill.  With about a mile and a half left the road finally looped back into the half marathon course and all that was left was a flat section to the finish.  Last half mile I picked up my pace and then sprinted to the finish line. 

I was sooooo excited to be done!!!  3 hrs 51 minutes.  3 marathons, 3 days, 11 hrs 37 minutes, 2nd overall female in the trifecta!  Belt buckle earned!  I am happy to have survived.  Of course in the back of my mind I wonder what I could do with my knees at 100%.  Maybe next year I will have to see!