Saturday, August 7, 2010

Burning River 100

So I just got back to SF after a week in Northern Ohio for lot's of Yanko Family time and The Burning River 100 which was also the USATF National Championship this year. Isn't it great how spending time with the family coincided with a race that I have wanted to run, it's almost as though I planned it that way.
Well the really cool thing about this was that all of my cousins and aunts and uncles were also in town the same week.

No she's not mine but she is frickin cute.


It was really spectacular to have everyone out there cheering for me and supporting me. There were definitely some parts that I really needed the encouragement.
Family support.



Well I am not one for race reports and I'm not going to do one for this race either but what I will say is the race was excellent. I had an amazing race that I played out perfectly for the first 75miles and then things started to fall apart a little on me. I haven't figured out yet just what happened; was it my training, nutrition, trouble sleeping before the race, mental, or some combination of all these and other factors I have yet to consider. Yeah that's probably it.


Happy time at an aid station.


I would have liked to of done a little better overall and I really feel as though I should have been able to make it onto that podium but I guess that just wasn't my day and it was other people's day instead.
A bad time. Eating a boiled potato.


The course is totally awesome and beautiful. One of the great things I always tell people about Ohio is just how beautiful it is and how much the park system means to all the people out there, and this race really shows that and takes runners through some of these amazing parks on a wonderful point to point course.


Sound of Music Hill, my family was even singing for me as I came up the hill!


The volunteers and crowds were top-notch and very supportive. One really exciting part of my race was the way in which I was able to finish. Going into Memorial Park aid station (something around 96miles) I was falling apart and not too happy. At this point Annette Bednosky had caught me and we both left the station at the same time, let me tell you something happened there, maybe I could smell the barn or maybe I just didn't want to get chicked (which honestly I tell myself I actually am totally fine with but who knows if inside I REALLY am okay with it), or maybe I was just really happy to be running in the presence of someone else. Whatever it was I just took off, I'm told I closed a 7 or 8min gap on the 4th place runner over those last 4miles. It was fun to be running that fast.

I finished 5th overall in 16:42 and change. 1st in my age group 25-30 or something like that. Not the race I was hoping for at the end of the day but honestly how can I really be disappointed with myself when I just ran 100miles? I think I can be okay with how the race played out. Oh and I can't even begin to explain how awesome my crew was. My sister Kristin and my Special Lady Friend Devon were beyond awesome. At mile 75ish I even got my shirt taken off for me in a provocative manner, and there was some butt grabbing too (all this done by OR to my Special Lady Friend NOT my sister just to clarify).
A good time, getting stripped. Awesome!


Nothing like some butt grabbing to make a runner feel a little better and more energetic late in a race.


If you want a race recap here are some really great ones from other runners who were out there:
Scott Dunlap
Todd Braje
Annette Bednosky
Eric Grossman


So on to some food talk already.
Pre- race I had an excellent rib eye steak from Mustard Seed Market, white rice, a green salad, and a awesome white peach, and arugula salad.
Post race was lot's of different things when my stomach would allow.


Sharing my post-race coconut.


I tend to not be able to eat too much the days following the race, but I managed to get in plenty of Swensons an Ohio staple for hamburgers.

mmmmm a Galley Boy please.


I would have gotten a photo but they didn't last long enough the couple of times I stopped to get one. Yum.
Post race recovery, going barefoot with my sister Beth, Kristin and girl friend Devon.

Today I made it off to the Ferry Building Farmers Market and got quite the haul. On the menu other than lot's of salads is a rustic Bakers Terrine, some roasted padrone peppers, and some sprouts.
Haul from the market today. Purslane, sprouts,
mushrooms, potatoes, bibb lettuce, padrones, chicken livers.


Oh and one final note of something wonderful for today's cold San Francisco morning, I was treated to an amazing hot chocolate at the market from my good friend Marianne of Anna's Daughter's Bread. It was perfection! I recommend checking it out if ever at the Saturday market, she set's up just outside of Boulettes Larder.


White Peach and Arugula Salad:
2 Organic White Peaches (ripe but not mushy) Wedged (something like 10 slices)
1/2 Red Onion Thinly sliced
1handful Organic arugula
1bunch golden beets, roasted and cut into bite-sized wedges
1bunch French breakfast radishes, sliced in half length wise
1/2cup light crumbly goat cheese, like a chevre
1/4bunch Parsley torn

Sherry Vinaigrette:
1/8cup Sherry Vinegar
1/2cup Olive Oil
Black Pepper a good amount freshly cracked into the dressing
1tablespoon Dijon mustard
2sprigs fresh Tarragon roughly chopped

Method:
Mix together, add dressing just before serving.