S2S Race Report

North Fork Brewery, Glacier, Wa

We packed up the Westy, champagne on ice, pups on our laps. It took a lot of me to concentrate on the now, to really enjoy the hum of the 'falia, riding up the mountain; I kept thinking ahead, behind, wanting to be on the S2S course, competing. We stopped in at the north fork brewery, a pizzeria, beer shrine and wedding chapel. Pretty much the coolest amalgam of all things pleasing. Ordered large spicy jalapeno and sausage and veggie pizzas. Put back a couple ipa's. Drove to a friend's bbq; their log home cultivated from the land surrounding, eating Matilda-saturated chocolate cake, watching the pup lick the salmon cream cheese dip when no one was looking.
Made it to the Morrison's cabin, this gem in Glacier with hot tub, fireplace and prerequisite hillbilly neighbor. I laid on the couch chanting Movie! then fell asleep, leaving no room for no one until Mags the pup started making out with me. I fell asleep at 7:30pm like the best pre-race grandmother, sleeping fully clothed, in jeans, above the blankets.

Tailgate skillet

Sometime after 4 am, the house started buzzing in bathroom sounds, coffee making, the wrappers of energy bars. I felt golden. After nursing some knee pain in the past week, I wasn't sure how I'd feel race day - I took a couple days off and it seemed to nix.
There was hardly any traffic on our way to the top. At the bike exchange they slowed the Westy and I chucked a check bag against a roadsign to [hopefully] find later. After 5 years of participating, this was the first time I prepped dry clothes for post race...and I wouldn't have if it weren't for Ber.

At the top we got a spot up front, parked behind our buds, tailgate down, stovetop out. S. Morrison and baby-faced Ryder started egg scrambles, freshly ground mountain coffee.

I laid on the floor of the Westy, listening to This American Life before warming up with a group of good people. The weather was ideal, overcast, not giving into rain. We ran circles around the top, stripped down to our race gear, jumped up and down at the downhill ski/run exchange trying to stay warm, watching the crazy in the eyes of the skiiers as they sloughed in. Men in speedos, men in tacos. The runners were less creatively dressed. It had been a year since I felt this feeling; it's hard to recognize capability in a footrace of falling.

I got the chip from my downhill skier, chugged down the mountain thinking, "If I hurt by mile 4 it's ok, I just have to hang on for 4 more." Substituting mile plans as each came and went, until I finished without hurting. It was incredible. I had a little ankle soreness in the one I sprained badly in basketball a few years ago, and some tightness in my ever-weak underbutt, but nothing compared to the pain felt in years past. It was either the marathon, all the chiropractic, the 2 days I took off prior to racing, all the sleep I got, or the combination that helped my body handle the beating. I am extremely happy and so thankful for this body. Iced in the creek of snowmelt, listening to all the men scream, goosepimpled and full of shrink. I finished with a time of 39:52, a time I didn't find approachable, and which I only considered as obtainable by men or women of great strength. Want to know a secret? I'm more proud of this than Boston.

Jumped into the moving Westy with the gang coming down from the mountain, where there were mimosas waiting & the biggest hug. We geeked out, anxious for cell-service, buzzing back to the cabin for hot showers and another mimosa as we adorned our bodies in lotions & a little blush here, there. Ate cold pizza. Hashtagged and texted like the generation y-holes we are or tend to make fun of. Headed to the finish to watch the kayakers come in, celebrated our teams' finishes.

My team, Core Physio and I walked back to the clinic for champagne, snacks and stim. I had stim pads on my butt and inner knee, getting a pretty pulsing massage. We shared stories; our canoeists had flipped, and still, almost made top gun, one wearing celebratory seaweed braided around her neck. It was a great group of women to share the experience with.

My team and others celebrated their places at the awards ceremony; Core Physio taking 2nd to Kulshan Cycles in the Whatcom Women's category.

How cool is it that Bellingham hosts this race - a race of rich depth and history? Even simply so, that we can share a moment like this on a beach like this. Bellingham is beautiful. As we were leaving, I ran into last year's team, Aven Construction, who had won their category once again. They said, "Look what we did, without you." It was wonderful. Sass and so true. I miss them.

After awards, we headed over to the Klick's afterparty, where the champions would drink from their immense trophies, beer was flowing, a lot of schmoozing. It was a really relaxing, jovial atmosphere. Kay of Kulshan Cycles is a little nymph; she wore a shot belt with holster for her tequila, each time pouring for me was accompanied with the question, "So you ready to sign your contract yet?"

It was really cool to see the faces of the people I've grown with in the last year, those patients I get to know slowly at the chiro office, runners from gbrc, from Klicks, from wwu, the guy who screamed while soaking himself in the creek, faces of strong women who feel just about to be my best friend, tequila and beer flowing freely, bodies sore, trophies in the center of the room. It's some magical, toot-yer-own-horn, athletic, sloshed lovefest.

I got to congratulate in person the lovely K. Steen, new record holder in the steeplechase for wwu: