One Run Closer

The best training cycle I've ever gone through- I kept track of my daily runs/workouts and how I felt on them. - this is before Strava existed 🤣 So here it goes... 2023 RACES Scranton Half Marathon: (goal time: 1:35:00) 1:34:35 Dirty German Endurance 25km: (goal time: 2:05:00) Cayuga 50km :  (goal time: 6:30:00) Pine Creek Challenge 50 Mile: (goal time: 7:15:00) Steamtown Marathon: (goal time: 3:15:00) JFK 50 Mile: (goal time: 7:30:00) March 6th-12th (38.8 miles 1,883ft) Taper for USATF 50k Championships turned into a recovery week. Hip is slightly inflamed due to back nerve issues so made the call to sit out of the National 50k for this year so I can make it to the next starting line.  MONDAY : REST DAY TUESDAY : 7.6 Road Miles : Tempo Bursts. 1.5 WU, 2 min on 1 min off for 5 miles, 1 mile easy. Effort 7-8 (7:43/mile). WEDNESDAY : REST DAY THURSDAY : 7 Road Miles : Tempo Bursts. 1.5 WU, 1 min on 1 min off for 4 miles. 1.5 Easy. Effort 7-8(7:40/mile) FRIDAY : ACTI...

I ALMOST completely erased my entire "One Run Closer" blog that I started back in early 2014, reading through all my past training, race goals and race recaps left me realizing how much I changed since I found this sport.  I decided to leave my blog be, after all in some moment of time what I wrote meant something significant to me. Even though so much has changed, I changed, it may be all those instances, all those injuries, all those jabs in life that made me who I am today. Moving forward, and looking to find something that will give me significance and a reason to feel the fire again and also keep me accountable and most importantly find mindfulness and joy in life and running again. I feel that I should go into depth of where I am coming from to explain why I am here. 8 years ago or more I was once wrote about being one of the best female ultra runners on the East Coast. Still to this day I never thought that as being true. Yes, I won ultras, claimed and brok...

If you don't look off to the sides, bears aren't there.  If you don't focus so much on the trail infront of you, you don't see snakes...  Maybe that noise I just heard was just some other runner falling into rubbish or maybe it's a bear? Well no bear and no snakes sights during this event, which is a win in my eyes!  World's End Ultra Marathon.   Location: Worlds End State Park, Pennsylvania  Distance: 50k Elevation gain: 6200+ft Course conditions: Wet, Mud Nutrition: 2 liters water, 4 oz coke. Looking back at all the ultra marathons I have ran (over 30 finishes) closer to over 40 If you want to count the few DNFs and a few distance switches. Besides the point, out of 30+ ultras I have ran, Worlds End is the toughest, most challenging course I have come across for the 50k distance, and to make the race even more brutal, we ran it in a heat wave. Rewind to 2 weeks prior. I got an email that my name was selected off the waitlist to be a participant. I ...

Heeeeeellllllo! Again!  It's mee... I am alive!! Yes, it's been over 3 years since I posted in my blog, and that is only because MY ENTIRE LIFE kind of changed, and I haven't ran an ultra in over 3 YEARS! WHY? I can blame it on my fractures in my pelvis and femur, or my spondylolithesis, maybe my hypertension, or my iron deficiency, or my renal artery stenosis. But I won't, because health related, I was healthy, running off and on, even ran a Road Marathon and did pretty decent (3:11).  The fact that I didn't run an ultra marathon in over 3 years is because I was SCARED! Terrified.  Anyone can look up my Ultrasignup results and see how many ultras I have a DNS (did not start), I would register, pay the money and just not go, I would get beyond so worked up and the anxiety of stepping up to the start line would literally ruin me.  In the last 3 years, a lot has changed in my private life as well as in my running life. Being a competitive runner, having sponsors. I le...

I feel like I have been in that dream where I am running but not going anywhere, that the fear I am trying to distance myself from is only bound to catch me, and theres not one thing I can do about it. 6 years ago, If I was to know the person I am today I would be in disbelief and shock that I gave up so many dreams, goals. Mostly I would be disappointed in myself.  But if I was able to tell myself of all those instances that lead me here I would hope that the younger me would see why the fear has always caught me, even when I was running. I don't talk about running now. I actually hate talking about it, I even actually dread when I see someone I know in the running community. When I see a running post on social media I scroll so fast past it I think my pointer finger has whiplash. But what I fear the most is "Have you been running?" "Hows your training going?" "What races do you have planned?". Those questions I can live with out. But how did I get ...

Leading into Iron Horse 50 Mile I had a goals of running 7:00/7:15. It was around mile 28 when I realized that was not going to happen. 85+* and 100% humidity will send you into the lonny bin, and I went in kicking and screaming!!! BUT FIRST,... wait what my first ultra distance in OVER A YEAR!?! 8 MONTHS of injuries. And just 3 months of training and I am out here running a 50 miler, how did this come about???? I definitely need to be in this loony bin! Someone get me on Meds quick! So, 2017 what a year that I learned to embrace injuries... ha, f$@k that. All that I embraced was Netflix bingeing I did. Let's just skip how awful 2017 was and let's focus on the present and the future... IRON HORSE 50 MILE So now I use 50 mile races as training runs? WTF? I felt pretty swell those first 28 miles, running 7:55/8:05 paces, I even remember crossing the 25 mile mark singing and doing the arm movements of "BYE BYE BYE". It was then I literally went bye bye bye, one minu...

I remember my very last race before this past weekend, well a race I had to DNS (Did Not Start) very well. It was the Run for Red Pocono Marathon, in Pennsylvania, mid May 2017. I planned to make it  a mini vacation out of the race weekend because my family lives so very close by. It was to be my 12th Full Marathon, even though I've ran over 40 Ultra Marathons I was super excited to add on one more Marathon to my finishes. My training was going rather well and I was expecting to either PR (sub 3:02) or possibly even go sub 3 hours on a good day, this race is a pretty fast course and I remember from running it years prior that if you are smart on the down hills the inclines can be very forgiving. Well I did not get to even run this marathon, the day before I was suppose to take my flight to Scranton, Pa. I was at work and feeling very light headed, dizzy and almost about to collapse. I was dealing with Hypertension issues for a few months now and on meds to control it, but the meds...

JANUARY 14 Jekyll Island Marathon        ▪1st Female, 13th Overall FEBRUARY 10 Iron Horse Endurance 50 Mile         ▪ 1st Overall APRIL 8 SCRANTON HALF MARATHON SEPTEMBER Pine Creek Challenge 100k OCTOBER Steam town Marathon *   .... awaiting acceptance....

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Does running bring out an ugly side in people, and should you be looking in the mirror as you read this.       Everyone, whether openly or secretly likes "wants" to win, win overall, win age group, win locally. It isn't a sin to want yourself to do good, heck do great, it's what you have been training for the past months, years. But is there that grey area, that things are done or said that makes you re-think the whole "I never met an angry runner" "runners are humble good people" "runners want everyone to succeed".       My own experiences, I've seen my own ugly side, & came to grips that there will always be someone out there faster, stronger, and it makes me want to improve myself, so thank you, but I have also had a lot of ugly things done to me as well, whether it was said to the running community or posted on social media, heck I even had runners make fake accounts to scare me. I have made a lot of friends running, speci...

I ended 2016 with a lot of doubt in my mind that I would be strong enough again to do an Ultra event so soon. I ran 2 50k races on October that in my mind I did decent at. Coming off ANOTHER injury really killed my spirits and I lost a lot of MOTIVATION to WANT to train again. I was registered for my FAVORITE event: Harbison 50k that happened to fall on the day before my 31st BIRTHDAY. "BUT" about 2 weeks prior I hit rock bottom, I didn't WANT to run, I didn't even WANT to get off the couch, I was throwing myself a 'pity party' on my couch and my ONLY FRIENDS were Netflix and Breyers ICE CREAM. All because I wasn't where I wanted to be with my training, and I wasn't as fast, as strong, as determined as I once was. I wasn't sure at the time why or how I ended up starting to find motivation again, it could have been me quitting my job (Assistant Manager at Planet Fitness Savannah GA) and finding another job that suited me much better, (Georgia Ga...

What can I say about FATS 50k... 
 When I think about this past weekend I want to crawl up in a ball and cry. This wasn't first race back from a 5 month injury, also this training was done on 5 weeks, my longest run was 16 miles, not counting a 28 mile "run/walk" day. I decided to run FATS the Thursday before, I knew the course was not easy considering I ran it a few years ago (4:56) which was good enough for 1st lady and the 2nd fastest female time on the course. 
 The course is mostly all single track, rooty, rocky, and a constant roller coaster ride to and from HELL. It consisted of 4 different trails, and 5 loops. Starting conditions the weather was decently cool but that didn't last long. Starting- was a mess, following the leading men we went the wrong way- but figured out shortly after we made a boo boo. I stayed with Merle Glick for the first 10 miles- we were moving- 8 min paces on those trails- which later in the race I came to realize Taryn you are...

Most people know my passions in life are running and my dogs. Over the past 3 months I have lost my ability to run due to an injury which should have been healed already if it wasn't for the lack of care I have received with my physicians. I also had to say good bye to one of my dogs. I went to the Emergency Room early April 2016 after a fall. With severe pain in my right groin. No X-Rays were taken. I was given crutches, a steroid, pain killers and muscle relaxers, told to stay off leg for a few days and ease back into walking/running- was treated for a groin pull. Followed up with my Physician a week later with still a lot of pain in my right groin. Was given a different type of muscle relaxer. Still no X-Ray taken/ordered. After a couple weeks I requested to see a Physical Therapist since my groin was not getting any better, in hopes for some help. Physical Therapist gave me exercises to do to help strengthen my glutes in hopes to strengthen my groin. 2 weeks after seein...

Since I ended up getting sick at Caumsett 50k earlier this month I felt like I should jump into another race since I was/am "race ready" I put in the work so I might as well do a race to see where I stand. Skidaway Island Marathon fell on March 26th, which was a good weekend for me to have a race.  I didn't really have a goal in mind for this marathon, other than to have a good race. I thought I may be able to get 3:10/3:15 after hearing the horror stories of how humid/hot and the amount of winding turns being made on course. Weather was calling for thunderstorms, lightening and heavy rain. Yay!! Luckily I wasn't raining at the start. I started out slower than I typically would for a road marathon- which was a good move on my part, I didn't look at my watch from mile 1 to until I reached the half marathon point. I just ran comfortably chatting along with a few other runners.  The course was marked very well- and was it a very zig-zagy course for sure! I'm not ...

Iron Horse Endurance Runs, located in Florahome FL. Sponsored by Altra Running, this is a BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL course! 25 mile loop, about 5 miles of paved flat trail, then 20ish miles of changing terrain, mostly sand, gravel, dirt and grass. Trail was "rolling hills", but nothing too hard, actually felt good to have those to switch up things some. Aid station were on point, had anything and everything you would need running an ultra- very well stocked!  Volunteers- I honestly could not have bounced back from my "wall" without these people. Thank you- You're humor and kindness went so beyond what is expected. I originally was registered for the 100 mile- but had to make a change the week of to run the 50, the hubs was deploying that week and wanted to make this a day trip. I entered this race because I never did an official 50 mile, heard the course was flat and was looking to PR: Goals/ A. sub 7 hours B. PR 50 miles C. Finish Overall, this was a very humbling ra...

Harbison 50k located at Harbison State Forest, Columbia SC,  this 50k brings in a larger crowd and is one of the harder ultras in our region. 20 miles of technical single track trails, rest fire roads, wide trails and a few water crossings. This course is rocky, rooty and a few fallen trees along the trail. Overall it is a tough course, and considering the amount of rain Harbison received the weeks leading into the ultra, we were running through some slippery slopes. Total elevation change is 4,186 ft. I ran this event in 2013, I had a little revenge I wanted to get out on this course, after it had been my slowest 50k and most difficult, also I had missed my turn, back tracked to tackling on a little over a mile or so. I had still placed 1st Female with a time of 5:05.  Considering there was another local 50k that was flat and fast, I felt needed something more technical and hilly like Harbison to use as training leading into Iron Horse. Tom and I decided to leave at 10pm the...

1/9/16 Harbison 50k Columbia SC 2/6/16 Iron Horse 50 Forahome FL 3/6/16 Caumsett National 50k Long Island NY 3/26/16 Skidaway Marathon Savannah GA 4/23/16 Treutlen Trail Trek 25k Rincon GA 4/30/16 Teardrop Half Marathon Atlanta GA 5/1/16 May Day Marathon Charleston SC 5/7/16 Wambaw Swamp 50k Coordsville SC 5/14/16 Cruel Jewel 50 Blue Ridge GA 6/17:18:19/16 Chattanooga Stage Race Chattanooga TN 11/12/16 Azalea 12 Hour Palatka FL 12/16 Lookout Mountain 50 Chattanooga TN

I recently got asked if I struggle with motivation. Being dedicated to the sport of running I do suffer with lack of motivation from time to time. Being unmotivated is an obstacle every runner deals with. Its overcoming that obstacle, “the desire to run is always greater than any obstacle”. We as runners need to find out WHY we are unmotivated and WHAT we need to do to overcome this, to bounce back, to focus on the task or goal ahead.  The 2 obstacles I have faced are time and injury recovery that affected my motivation. It’s too early, it’s too late, it’ s too cold,  it’s  too hot.   These are little motivation killers we deal with a lot. Whether it’s the time of day or the weather- not every run is in perfect conditions. But we know as runners that a “bad” run was better than “no run” . Finding time is hard- finding time to do ANYTHING outside work, family and social obligations is hard let alone to go running for hours a day. That’s why having that strong support ...