Hellgate-2 Beth-0

Now that I've got your attention, this isn't going to be a blog about how I DNF'd at Hellgate again, but rather a celebration of what did go well in 2010!! I mean did you really want to hear about all that trudging along for 60 miles? booring.



Mt. Mitchell



January- I had an awesome time earning my crown at the Sultan's Birthday Run! and tons of fun running around in the snow.

February- I finished Holiday Lake and Mt. Mitchell 40, despite the ALL of the SNOW!





March - We had fun chasing Leprechauns around the Iron Mountains and I had a 30 min. PR @ Terrapin. Volunteered for the 3rd time @  the Creeper Trail Marathon.

Leprechaun Gang



April - Epic 42 Mile Night run leaving Damascus on the AT-S to Cross Mtn. connecting to the IMTR and finishing back in Damascus.  35 min PR @ Promise Land 50K

of the 9 starters only 5 would finish the 42 miles

Promise Land 50K

May - Great trip with Jenny and Mike Bailey to Capon Valley 50K, our first run there. Fun that you can camp and I was happy with a 5:11. We also had a great Memorial Day weekend helping Eric run a 3 day and then took off to SNP to run with Sophies group.

Cross Mtn. Day 2 of Erics High Country 3-Day

SNP Rip Rap Fun Run!

June - The Varmint 1/2, followed by the orange dot loop the next day, a great (new to me) run with Jenny and Rick from Iron Mtn Gap-Nolichucky on the AT, first time on the Holston Mountain Trl, and a consistent month of Wednesday night group runs. Great month of training, no racing.

July- 1st female @ Rattlesnake 50k, 15min PR there, 3rd time running that course and sadly the last.

Dirty Spokes 10k Beech Mtn. Mount Rogers run with Jenny. Iron Mountain group training run, back half of 50 mile course.

Rattlesnake

me getting schooled @ the 10K

August - Epic Roan Mountain adventure from Carvers-Dennis Cove. Todd Richardson Memorial 10k. Trip to Maine. Jennys birthday running of the Orange Dot loop with 3 BEARS!!

September - Sweeping the IMTR race. Eastman 10k. Bays Mountain 15 miler.
October - Stump Jump 50K. New River 50K volunteering. Incredible weekend of back to backs including government road loop and Elk Garden - Damascus on the AT. Masochist Training Run. Haunted Half.

Stump Jump 50K

November - 1hr. PR @ Masochist. Hellgate training run on Holston Mtn. w/ Rick. Bent Creek Gobbler. New York Trip.

2010 was great! and finishing 3rd Female in the LUS series was icing on the cake

There were so many great adventures and training runs, too many to list here. I get overwhelmed when I look back at my calender and photos and realize how much I was able to do in 2010. So lucky to live in an area where we can just run out our backdoor and hit the Creeper, AT, Iron Mountain Trail, Mt. Rogers, Roan Mountain, Whitetop. I look forward to doing it all again in 2011 and then some. I'm looking forward to doing more fun runs and maybe spending less $$ on organized races. There are a few favorites I can't pass up and few new ones I'd like to explore. Looking forward to making it back to more of the Adam Hill WNC group runs, I missed a lot of those last year due to weddings/travel. Gotta make it up to run with the Virginia Happy Trails again and with our friends over in West Virginia! I need to work on balance in 2011, more cross training and injury prevention. I'm slowly coming back from the damage done at Hellgate.
Got to do a fun New Years Day run with some IMTR peeps( check it out here http://jendenichols.blogspot.com/) and possibly venturing over for a run in Boone this weekend, weather permitting.  I hope everyone had an amazing 2010 and I look forward to seeing you in 2011!!!