Capon Valley

photo by Matt Riley

Before I was an ultrarunner, I was a lacrosse player. I picked up a stick (also known as a "crosse") during my freshman year in high school and instantly fell in love with the sport. I loved the speed, the ball movement, and the grace of the women's game, and spent hours throwing the ball against a wall perfecting my moves. Ultimately I ended up playing for four years at the University of Virginia and then for three years for the United States Women's Lacrosse Team. I represented the US in international tournaments after college and loved every minute of it.

As time went on, I branched out to other sports (triathlon, marathon, ultras) but lacrosse has always been my first love, and it defined my career choices. My first job out of college was coaching at an all-girl's private school in Baltimore. I was a graduate assistant coach at UVA while pursuing my masters degree in counseling, and I have been the JV girls coach at my school here in Charlottesville since 1995. I also coach a club team and my daughter's middle school team. My son is going to play in college next year for one of my dear friends who played on the men's team when I was on the women's team at UVA.

Lacrosse is a family. We are coaches, teachers, players, parents, umpires, and spectators. We love and respect the game, and one another. And, just like ultrarunning, we are a small, tight-knit community that is often misrepresented by the media.

So you can imagine the range of emotions that were flowing through my heart and mind last Monday, May 3, when we heard the news of Yeardley Love's death. As the school counselor, I had to hold myself together as I helped my students --who were coached by Yeardley at camp--come to terms with her murder. I also spent the week discussing the issues of domestic violence and substance abuse with my freshmen students. I read the damning media reports, cried with my colleagues and former UVA teammates, and attempted to coach my team and wrap up our season.

I was looking forward to coming to Capon Valley 50K on Saturday as a respite from the stress of the week, but instead found that I had no energy to run. I was happy to be there and see my friends, and grateful to be healthy and spending the day in the woods, but the emotional upheaval of the past week kept me from being able to run any faster than an easy trot. This was new to me---I never had come into a race unable to "race" when I was ready. At first I was frustrated, but then I realized that it just wasn't my day to race, so I spent the rest of the miles enjoying the great weather, listening to my sister's new album on my iPod, and thinking about Yeardley.

At the post run lunch, while everyone was talking about their great races, Tom Corris turned to me and said, "I am sorry about what happened in your neck of the woods last week." Such a simple comment, but so meaningful. I promptly burst into tears and bawled for a bit, and everyone at the table was understanding and supportive. Thanks, friends.

There's been much written about what happened to Yeardley. I won't use this post to go into all the details, but I do want to reinforce a plea that UVA President John Casteen made to those attending the candlelight vigil on Wednesday night: "Seek the support that belongs to you, because you belong to us." Yes, let's make sure we take care of one another.

Sometimes the tragedies of life intersect with our life on the trails. The cliche is true---we can try to run, but we cannot hide from these feelings. We can only accept them, embrace them, and then let them go. That's my plan for today.

1, 2, 3, 4: Together, Hoos.

Yeardley Love Women's Lacrosse Scholarship information

Batesville 10K: Old School

Rusty in front of the Batesville Store, home of Saturday night family-style buffets and great music

When I saw that the Batesville 10K was moved from its usual mid-May date to May 1, I decided it would be the perfect final tune-up tempo run for Capon Valley 50K next Saturday. The last time I ran the Batesville 10K was in 2001 when I was 39 and training for sprint triathlons. I remember that I suffered mightily for the first three uphill miles before hammering it home on the rolling hills in my slowest 10K time ever of 45-something. I also remember the low-key, small-town feel of this race, considered the toughest 10K in these parts.

Nine years later, the hills are still there and the wonderful low-key feel thankfully remains. The race kicks off Batesville Day, when the town, which is located 25 minutes south of Charlottesville, celebrates its heritage and hosts the race, a parade, a community fair, and a raucous gathering of food and friends at the Batesville Store later that evening.

The race attracts a small number of "old school" road runners from the Charlottesville Track Club, as well as first-timers, families, and moms with baby joggers. And "old school" it is: the starter welcomed us by saying, "Thanks for coming to our race. We don't have timing chips or mile splits, and the road will be open to cars, so be alert. Have fun. Go!" And with that, we were off. I settled into tempo/half marathon pace (7:30s) and let the front pack go. Bill Gentry was in that pack, hoping to run faster than last year's 43-something (he did---in 42-something). I was hoping to hold steady with 7:30s on the hills and in the heat, and then let it loose the last 3 miles a bit (I did---in 47-something, good for first Masters female). A perfect way to mix up the training and get in a quality run before Capon.

At mile 6, feeling pretty strong in the heat and after all the hills

Afterward, Bill and I did a few cool down miles exploring the town, and then met up with Rusty at the Batesville Store for Greenberry's coffee and granola. Rusty and his buddy Tom Goodrich play at the store on Saturday nights and we have heard the Honey Dew Drops there as well---a very funky, cool place to hear live music.

Bill Gentry and me, enjoying the post-run. Bill is gearing up for a 48-hour run in two weeks, after running his 10th Umstead 100 a month ago.

I have found that running a shorter race right before an ultra is a great way to get some leg speed going as well as break up the monotony of track and hill repeats. Batesville is a tough 10K that requires mental toughness, strong hill running, and smart pacing, all good skills to hone before a key race. I am looking forward to defending my 2009 win at Capon Valley and hanging out with the ultra gang once again!

"You Are Better Than You Think You Are..."

...were the words I spoke to one of my JV lacrosse team captains last week. She had played the entire 50-minute game--which we lost--without a substitution, and she was dragging out there. She never asked to come out of the game, but one of her teammates was concerned and whispered to me on the sidelines, "Mrs. Speidel, Susie (not her real name) needs to come out---she's tired." After the game, I spoke with Susie and quoted the famous words from the Leadville 100: "You're better than you think you are and you can do more than you think you can." She looked at me and nodded. She got it.

My life passions as a school counselor, lacrosse coach and ultrarunner intersected beautifully at that moment. It usually happens a few times a season and I am grateful each time, as it inspires me and reminds me how much I love what I do all day. I am blessed that I get to wake up each morning to run on trails while the sun is rising, then go to work with students and colleagues whom I adore, and coach the sport that defined me for so many years...and continues to challenge me. When I can bring them all together, and it works, I am giddy.

Today was a day like that. We are at the point in our lacrosse season where we have won some good games and lost some tough ones, and the girls were struggling with the feelings that come from losing more than winning. After an undefeated season last year, it has been hard for this group to experience losing. So it was time for a practice that would shake us out of the doldrums of this long season of ups and downs and bring us together as a team. My inspiration? The Barkley Marathons, of course.

Regular readers of this blog know that lately I have been on a Barkley kick. But this is nothing new. My assistant coaches and players from past years know all about the Barkley, as I have subjected them to "mini-Barkleys" over the years with a lot of fun times looking for missing books and easy trail running. But this year I was determined to challenge the girls to a real-deal "almost Barkley" complete with 4 books with ominous titles, 2+ miles on rugged trails, and a map not drawn to scale. In other words, I wanted to remind them that they are "better than they think they are" and in the process introduce them to one of the great ultramarathons.



So, this morning my assistant coach Kelsey (also an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School) and I planted the four books around Observatory Hill, which is behind our school and has a wonderful trail system. My favorite book title was "Why Aren't They Screaming?" so we placed this book atop our own version of Rat Jaw (a tough climb at the real Barkley). The other books were placed on the ledge of an abandoned well, under a dilapidated bridge, and in a tree. The girls assembled after school and were placed into three groups which were each led by a coach with a cell phone. Each group had a map that I drew from memory and were given specific instructions to stay together and help one another find all four books. They had to rip a page out of each book corresponding to their group number, and then return to the start/finish with all four pages. The first group back with all four pages was the "winner" and would receive our congratulations...nothing more. Just like at the Barkley.



The groups were a mix of freshmen, sophomores and juniors, new and experienced players, runners and some not-so-into running. The goals of this exercise were to introduce the students to the natural beauty of the trails near our school, to have fun (and get fit) as a team while striving for a common goal and while working together to achieve it, and to discover who, while working with others in a small group, emerge as natural leaders and who prefer to follow. My group was made up of a junior and two freshmen. They followed the map carefully, considering each option but always deferring to the junior (who is also a captain). As a result, they were able to find all four books without losing the trail. I was impressed with how my group asked one another for ideas and suggestions and no one emerged as the only "leader"---instead, they all gave their input and then came to consensus.

Here are a few photos of our version of the Barkley:

Finding Book 1 under the bridge

Looking for Book 2 near the old well

Working together to figure out the where the next book was hidden

Finding Book 4 at the powerlines

The second-place group running uphill to the finish

Kelsey's coon hound, Scout, added Barkley mystique to the day. The Barkley was inspired by James Earl Ray's escape from Brushy Mountain State Prison. It took him 3 days to cover 5 miles of treacherous terrain before being captured...no doubt with the help of hounds like Scout.



The other two groups had some difficulty following the map and got off the trail a few times, but each group finished safely with all four pages, and then we went out for ice cream to celebrate.

As we were running back, one of my students commented, "I would feel badly for the person who couldn't finish the Barkley in under the cut-off time after all that hard work. But I guess that's the risk you take, right?"

"Some people "get" the Barkley. Some don't.
But the Barkley is all about leaving the comfort zone.
The Barkley is about taking our chances with failure.
True success is not the absence of failure,
It is the refusal to surrender."

--Lazarus Lake, Barkley Race Director

Cool Training Runs, Part 4: Rip Rap/Wildcat Ridge in the SNP

View from the Rip Rap/Wildcat Ridge trail looking west toward Massanutten Mountain, which is just peeking over the top of Trayfoot ridge.

Every once in awhile I like to post about my favorite training runs, just in case one of my readers needs a new trail to discover. Over the past few years I have posted on the Priest and Three Ridges, the Wild Oak Trail, and Catawba. All are solid, 5-9 hour outings with tons of climbing, great views and beautiful trail.

This morning Quatro and I ran the Rip Rap/Wildcat Ridge/AT loop in the Shenandoah National Park. This 20+ mile circuit was first introduced to me by VHTRC buddies Greg Loomis and Jeff Wilbur. It's a 25 minute drive from my front door to the trailhead (I know, I know...lucky!). The parking area is at the Sugar Hollow reservoir, which at 7:00am is nearly empty but at 12 noon is usually packed with day hikers and swimmers. This morning temps were in the high 30s at the start and didn't get out of the 50s all morning, so we saw very few swimmers when we returned.

I brought Jack on this run---temps were low enough and there was ample water available along the route. I do envision running this loop a lot in the summer, but in very hot weather it would be prudent to bring water treatment tablets or a filter and pump as the middle section is over an hour without a water source.

Here are some pics of the day...

Sophie and Jack crossing the first of eight medium-sized streams...this is a run where you will get your feet wet.

Looking upstream at the Moorman's River erosion...in 1996, this entire gorge was flooded and it changed the landscape forever.

Little Blue Hole, a favorite place for swimming (especially for families with young kids), about a mile from the parking area. The rock in the center is a great place to jump off into 5+ feet of water.

Q poses in front of Blackrock Falls, about 3 miles up the trail.

Typical trail

Looking west at the Shenandoah Valley from Chimney Rocks

Cool rock formations at Chimney Rocks

Q poses in front of another fave trail route, the Blackrock/Trayfoot Mountain loop (part of the ridgeline behind him).

Rip Rap gorge

Swimming hole in Rip Rap gorge that was voted "best kept secret swimming hole" by Blue Ridge Outdoors---note the slip n slide into the hole.

The 2 mile climb out of the gorge, which I ran in 27 minutes---great hill training!

Since this was MMT training run #3 in 36 hours for Q, he opted to power hike instead.

The Blue Hole, known around these parts as a fave place for high rock jumping and lots of college student parties. This is at mile 19 of the run---perfect after a hot day on the trail.

The end of the run...the Moorman's River before it dumps into the Sugar Hollow Reservoir downstream.

Overall, a great training run in perfect weather! Here is the link to more details about the Rip Rap/Wildcat Ridge trail.

n.b.: a shout out to my training partner Bill Potts who is running his first Boston Marathon on Monday, then following it up with Promise Land 50K on Saturday...and to my friends Anne and Hallie, wishing them healing thoughts as they recover from injury. Big hugs to you both!