Running Free

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Yesterday was a great day on the WS trail. My brother Wally and I and several other ultra friends ran from Squaw Valley to Robinson Flat. It is a 30 mile run that goes through Duncan Canyon. It was a beautiful day and a few of the runners were running their last long run there before the race. We swapped a lot of running stories and I really enjoyed hearing about the "old days", when a few of the runners there were running in the 18-19 hour range at WS. It was interesting to hear from these guys all the behind the scene stuff that happened while they were "racing" from Squaw Valley to Auburn. These guys were tough, and they still are today. Thank you Dan Williams for making our run yesterday a success. You are a winner.

For any of you readers that are running the race in two weeks, their is very little snow, the patches here and there will probably be melted by race day. Duncan Canyon has 70+ trees down and they are promised to be cleared before the "show" also. The creek at Duncan is about calf deep and will be a perfect place to cool off if it is hot.

Happy Father's Day to all you Dads. Matt's kids are coming for a BBQ and we are looking forward to that. Enjoy your day!

11 comments:

Bob - BlogMYruns.com said...: Looks like a FUN day with friends!! Great Pics; June 16, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Anonymous said...: Kelly, I found your awesome blog! It was fun chatting our way up the mountain. I am looking forward to hearing all about your upcoming adventures. See you next year.

Dan Daly; June 16, 2008 at 2:03 PM
kelly said...: Thanks, Bob! How is your recovery going? I hope your feet are better! Congrats again. You done it!; June 16, 2008 at 3:12 PM
kelly said...: Hey Dan, thanks for checking out my blog! I had a great time talking to you too. I hope your daughter has a wonderful experience at her camp. Take care and I hope to see you on the trail before next year.; June 16, 2008 at 3:14 PM
seagull junker said...: thanks for sharing the info. was wondering about the first 29.7. been watching the snow melt from the high camp cam for a month now. it's gunna be a great day. and boy is both the men's and womens field deeeeeep.
tom riley, the slower older brother of M9 jeff riley; June 19, 2008 at 11:13 AM
kelly said...: Hey Tom, Good luck in the race. I wish I was going to be out there. I am running Safety Patrol, so I will keep my eye out for you. Run smart out there, and enjoy the mountains.; June 19, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Donald said...: Hi - Thanks for visiting my blog again, and thanks for the trail update. I was kind of looking forward to snow, actually. Oh well.

I'll look for you on the course!; June 19, 2008 at 10:37 PM
Anonymous said...: Tonight's "Dirty Jobs" episode: Keeping trains on track; making boudin sausages; cleaning animal skulls and bones for display.

Third one looks good, eh?; June 20, 2008 at 8:21 AM
kelly said...: I don't think cleaning animal skulls and bones is a "dirty job". I may have to contact the show and tell them that. Anywhoo, thanks! I will record that episode for sure. I have a few dirty skulls that need some fixin as I type. Whoever this is, you must know me pretty well!! Thanks again.; June 20, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Paul Charteris said...: We followed your footsteps Kelly. Our gang was only an hour or so behind you.

Cheers, Paul; June 20, 2008 at 3:37 PM
Brian Thomas said...: Happy belated birthday! I'm envious of your running out west!

I just wanted to let you know that myself and some other people with loved ones with lupus are starting a group of Lupus Runners. If you are on Facebook, just search for Lupus Runners or you can join at my website www.lupusrunner.org. Keep on inspiring the rest of us!; June 20, 2008 at 6:00 PM

Not Even Lupus Can Slow Ridgway

NOT EVEN LUPUS CAN SLOW RIDGWAY Published on June 26, 2004 © 2004- The Press Democrat BYLINE: BRUCE MEADOWS Three years ago when she was diagnosed with lupus, Kelly Ridgway didn't take much time plotting her course. ``I figured I could lay on the couch and be a drug-seeker for pain or I could choose to be as healthy as I can be,'' said Ridgway, 46, an outpatient surgery nurse at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Ridgway, defying the odds, is entered in the Western States 100 Endurance Run, which starts at the base of Squaw Valley at 5 this morning and ends 100 miles away in Auburn. ``I see people at the hospital in horrible shape because of lupus, but I realized I had a choice how to deal with it,'' Ridgway said. Lupus is a chronic auto-immune disease affecting mainly women. The immune system attacks the body's own tissues as a foreign substance, producing antibodies to fight it. The cause of the disease is unknown although research has shown it occurs when a specific set of susceptible genes is exposed to a combination of environmental factors such as infectious agents, certain drugs, excessive ultraviolet light, physical trauma or emotional stress. Ridgway said she has been a ``serious runner'' for 14 years and has also competed in 50- and 100-mile events on horseback. She started running to get in shape after the last of her three children -- Caleb (18), Chelsea (16) and Courtney (14) -- were born. ``I've found I really love ultras,'' said Ridgway, a single mother who graduated from Montgomery High, then earned a nursing degree from Santa Rosa JC. Dr. Lisa Kremer, Ridgway's rheumatologist said, fatigue is the most universal symptom of lupus. ``For somebody to run 100 miles with an auto-immune disease is incredible.'' Ridgway first experienced flu-like symptoms, then fatigue. ``But when I started having problems with cognitive stuff, I knew there was something more to it.'' She was having trouble doing simple math or even finding her way around town. ``I thought of all sorts of things, including a brain tumor,'' said Ridgway. Ridgway has been training with Santa Rosan Karen Hanke, 42, and Suzanna Bon, 39 of Sonoma. This is the second Western States for Hanke, who finished last year in 29 hours, 47 minutes, running the last 70 miles on severely blistered feet. It is the first Western States for Ridgway and Bon. Because of the glut of applicants -- more than 1,000 annually apply for 400 spots -- runners must not only qualify with an acceptable 50-mile run time but also get lucky by having their name drawn by lot. Bon, whose goal is ``just to finish although I'd love to do it in under 24 hours,'' is impressed with Ridgway's effort. ``Kelly is strong and smart about training,'' said Bon. ``We'll run at our own pace this weekend, not together, but we want to do the best we can.'' Ridgway sees herself as a runner who happens to have lupus. ``My case is relatively minor and medication has really helped,'' said Ridgway, who logs 75 miles a week. ``But I don't know anybody with lupus who runs as much as I do.'' She has bouts of fatigue and deals with them. ``There are days I am really tired and need to come home and rest for a while,'' she said. But this weekend there will no place to rest. ``I'm not the type to quit,'' she said. ``I will persevere.'' Kremer said people with lupus react differently to the disease. ``Some have a real tough time with it and others take it as a challenge,'' said the doctor. ``In general, a disease like lupus provokes self-evaluation ... some patients look at it as a way to straighten out their lives, physically and socially.'' Kremer said most lupus patients with a positive outlook exercise to some degree. ``For them, making an effort is a personal victory.'' Ridgway, who left for Squaw Valley Thursday, has been on the Western States course before, having competed in the Tevis Cup horse race and also working the run the past two years as a medical helper. ``It's beautiful ... I fell in love with the trail,'' she said. ``I'm excited but not nervous.'' Ridgway will be tested following the race to determine how running 100 miles affects a lupus patient. ``I know I am capable of doing this.'' She likes to run, even 100 miles, because it makes her feel healthy and alive. ``Maybe in some ways this will speak to people who are trying to make choices,'' she said. ``You can push ahead and take charge of your life.''