You're Only As Good As Your Support Team

Sunday morning - time to go! 

Last year, the TRR received something like a 99% satisfaction rating from the participants.  That alone would entice someone to enter a 6 day stage race.  It takes a small army to do what they will do for the near 300 competitors this week:  set up and break down tents each day, provide breakfast and dinner at the camping sites, set the on-course aid-stations, and move our belongings.  Without these volunteers working hard on our behalf, this race wouldn't be possible.  The behind the scenes work will go unnoticed to those not here; it will be greatly appreciated by all of us running (or walking)!

The support teams we have at home are no different.  Without their encouragement and support of us taking on this adventure, we wouldn't be here.  There have been a lot of people following us and reading these posts on the journey over the past few months, and now that the time has finally arrived to run, I can tell the readership is increasing each day.  If you are following, please take the time to write a comment at the end of any post along the way.  Lynn and I read those and they are quite energizing.  We know we have your support, and we thank you!

So I want to take time to thank my support team.  I have a crew of three that are my biggest cheerleaders, and who have had to put up with me during the last 8 months.  This crew is usually sleeping when I wake up on weekends to run, but always ask how the run went.  They got to listen to me discuss (or vent) about various aches and pains, and also share in the joys of watching the donation amount steadily rise to help the Gudeman's.  They know this run was important to me, and why I am doing it, and haven't wavered in getting me to this day.  To my support crew:  thank you for all you have done!  I love you all and you will be here in spirit with me over the next 6 days, helping me navigate the trails ahead and bringing this adventure to life.

Crew leader: Brenda (wife) - making sure I'm well fed and prepared and overseeing the rest of the crew
Head cheerleader: Erika (11) - also known as Chief Hugger - always smiling and encouraging
Chief of Aches & Pains: Ryan (7) - keeping me balanced by being an ache & pain. This isn't all about me

From this point forward - posts will come to the extent I can get a wireless internet signal whereever we are camping.  If you want to try and follow along via the TRR website, they may do daily update posts, which can be found at: http://transrockies.com/transrockiesrun/transrockies/newsletter_signup.htm or somewhere else via the transrockies site.   There won't be many photos from the running itself, since my Iphone won't be coming with me, but I will try to post others from around the campsites each night.  We will have cameras with us, but those pics won't get posted until we return to Charlotte.

Gotta go - they are calling us to the starting line!  See you on the other side....

KEIYH

Christmas in August!

This experience has brought us many special gifts - some are memories, some are renewed relationships, some are joys of helping others, and yet other gifts are still to be found.  Today, brought us tangible gifts.  In the form of SWAG.  Stuff We All Get.  We knew heading into this event that we would be provided a large duffel bag each - all of our belongings we will be using during the 6 days must fit in the bag - from shoes, running clothes, food, sleeping bag/pad, toiletries, etc.  We also knew that we would get a t-shirt (seems every race provides one of those), and even a nice Gore-Tex rain jacket -as they are a premier sponsor of the event.

But it was the rest of the SWAG that we received at registration this afternoon that made it Christmas in August!  A Timex running watch, a ceramic travel coffee mug, a book on trail running (a bit late for that in my mind!), a Nathan water bottle and holder, a running hat, and more!!  Our bag was so loaded from our 6th walking trip down to Main Street over the past 3 days, that it took two of us to carry it back to the hotel, where we spend a good hour packing it up with what we need.  Good thing it was a big bag!  In case you were wondering...I am leaving my hair product behind...

However, at registration we came across a few other surprises.   The first was when checking in, we picked up the brochure for the event, and were a bit stunned to see that this is a 6 day, 125 mile event.  Huh?  Say again?  Can't be possible.  Don't they know that this is 113 For Emmah?  That is what we trained for.  So, we casually asked one of the staff if that was the case, and he said the distance could be anywhere from 113 to 125 miles, depending on the course is marked that day.  Come again Poncho???  Ok, I can live with this....after all, if we are going to run/walk 113...what's another 12 thrown in for kicks.  I am all about change.

Then we move down the registration line to turn in our photo id's which will be needed throughout the event, which they quickly turn into a laminated id tag/lanyard we will carry with us.  (Notice the angelic like glow over Lynn's shoulder - I do believe Emmah is watching us!)Contains our photo, name, team name, and punch out for the various meals they will provide all week (don't want any free-loaders taking our bean burrito on Wednesday).  My tag looked just fine - me, Ken Bansemer, 113 For Emmah.  Check.

Lynn's tag on other hand had her photo, her name, and 114 For Emmah.  Uh-oh.  Is somebody trying to tell her something?  I reckon (that's a southern term for my northern friends) that she is supposed to go a little farther than me...probably because I've been doing all the heavy blog liftin'.  No biggie, we will roll with the punches.

Then we read in the map guidebook provided to us, that the run is actually going to be 115 miles over 6 days.  Seems to me we have some major confusion going on about now.  And I am thinking that my post from yesterday about doing 200 miles as the result of a few wrong turns might be more of a reality than I thought at the time.  So - let's just say we'll report the mileage each day to the extent we can.

As of now, we know tomorrow is 20.6 miles, because that is what the TRR people put out on their website today.  If you want a quick visual of the course for Sunday, view it here.

We were psyched when we got to the end of the registration line to see boxes and boxes of Solomon running shoes lined up along the wall.  MORE SWAG!!!  That wasn't in our bag originally, so we kindly asked if we get those too.  Sad to report, that we were informed those were for VIPs only.  Huh?  Who could be more important that us?  We are running for Emmah...don't they know that?  It would help to have Solomon shoes (even though we each have a pair to run in).  We aren't really sure who the VIPs are - probably elite runners, but still, lets get real here - we could surprise everyone.  Stop laughing.  Alright, even I am smiling as I write it. HA!  Supposedly if you finish on the podium each day, you are awarded a pair.  We shall see.  How can an elite running "win" 6 pairs of these?  Lets just say we are holding out hope that by the end of the week we will be VIPs as well!!!

After packing we headed off to our welcome dinner and orientation meeting.  The dinner was outstanding.  If the food is like this all week - I'll be a happy camper.  There were a number of different speakers representing the various sponsors, and the Transrockies organization.  In short - we will get a program each night recognizing the days winners (us....ahem), and going over the logistics for the next day.  Lots of good stuff is in store ahead, and we are going to be treated world-class the whole way (except for the part about sleeping in tents each night).

While reading a running magazine while out here, I came across this quote, which I think sums up the week ahead.  "At the start of races 50 miles or longer, most people have the spirit of We're about to embark on an adventure.  At the finish, regardless of how we place, we're all equals because we have finished a grand adventure."  Well said.

KEIYH

Sights & Sounds of Buena Vista

It doesn't feel like a Friday.  It does feel like a vacation day though.  To tell the truth - we feel like we have gone back in time to a place where there are little worries and a simplier way of life.  Or, for you Seinfeld fans, we could make a TV series about Buena Vista and it would be a story about nothing.  Went to the grocery story today.  What happened? Nothing - no lines, no hassles.  Went to the park to relax.  What happened? Nothing - there were birds, and people and kids playing in the lake, all was as it should be.  Went to Mother's Restaurant for lunch.  What happened? Nothing - our food was good, reasonable, the wait staff friendly, and we were full.  Everyone here seems to have a dog that is friendly and likes to be outside.  Zero, zip, nada, nothing.....

Pretty amazing that you can easily forget being from a big city what it is like to disconnect from it all.  Sure we still have cell phones and email, but not really checking them.  How could you when it was 57 when we woke up, no humidity, and was mid 70s all day and sunny.  Oh, it felt so good to be away from Charlotte.  Too many other "nothing" activities for us to take in.  We ate breakfast as the Super 8 - a nice spread, then went for our second run of our short stay here.  On Thursday we stretched our legs for 3 miles in the late afternoon by running along a flat section next to the Arkansas River and found there is a larger trail system there, so we went back this morning to do a few miles on those.

OMG!

Within the first 1/2 mile we found ourselves beginning a steady climb up about 300 feet over less than a mile distance.  Lungs were screaming for air and legs were trying to keep up.  It was a losing battle that quickly gave into quick walking.  Fortunately for us the path evened out on an old railroad bed which we took for awhile, and promptly missed our turn off (note to self:  pay closer attention to any signs along the way).  So we went down those same 300 feet, only to realize we weren't where we where supposed to be and had to trek back up said 300 feet again.  And this was supposed to be a loose, take-it-easy kind of run.  So once we were back on the right trail - you guessed it - we came down 300 feet again to where we started.  Interesting experience.

We figured that if this happens throughout the week, our run will be changed to 200 For Emmah, and that all previous financial supporters will have to anty up for this increased distance!  Or not! You may just laugh at us.  I would....

Today I choose to wear the rugged looked.  Lugged out the cargo shorts I had, and the 2008 24 Hours of Booty bike shirt I brought.  Just couldn't find that tattoo parlor though.  However, some of the sights we saw in Buena Vista included visiting the Book Nook (used book store in a house), the Country Store/Bait/Tackle/Gift Shop, and the local Bakery.  We've gotten the great opportunity to speak with several locals about the town, get recommendations on where to eat, and what to do, and have a great appreciation for how cool it is to "get away from it all".

But when all is said and done - we are ready to run.  Tomorrow will bring about one more day of waiting and thinking about what lies ahead.  No training tomorrow - mostly rest.  We have a registration packet pick up around noon, and then a welcome dinner/runners meeting from 5 - 6:30.  Until that time, we can only think about some of the other things going on in our life, such as:

Lynn had a craving for ice cream, so we found K's Old Fashioned Delights (since 1955), where she got a nice cone.  It happened that K's was recommend to me a few weeks ago, not by a local, but by a fellow Beta Alpha Psi Advisory Forum member who used to live in Buena Vista - good call Alex!  That would be Lynn in the red backpack standing in line for her tasty treat.

But before Lynn could actually work up an appetite for ice cream, she had to earn it by relaxing down by the lake and catching some rays.  I, on the other hand, did not go for the ice (yes everyone, I know that is hard to believe).  You see, I was too busy catching my own rest on the local park bench, using my water bottle as a pillow, and munching on some Oreo cookies. 


But at that same time, there was music playing in the background, courtesy of a car parked nearby sharing their music with everyone.  And I also heard birds chirping, so I opened my eyes, and this photo is my view of the trees...the sky....and two birds on branches directly above me.  Couldn't help but wonder if those little buggers were going to crap on me for hogging their park bench.

And of course, there has to be a valid reason for all of these peopel to want to be in the town of Buena Vista year-round.  After all, this seems to be the launching place for so many different events like ours.  We learned that some world class kayakers are building a facility here to house like-minded adventure seekers. 

We learned about why some of the shop owners have returned to Buena Vista after being away in other parts of the country for many years.

And we learned that there is a pretty good chance that you will see us back here in 2011 competing in the Transrockies run again.  Not because of the sights and sounds. Not because of the adventurous spirit that resides within us. Not because of the absolutely great weather that we have found during the summer months. And not because we just might want to get away from it all.

No.

Below is the reason why we will be back in Buena Vista.  Can you blame us?  Wouldn't want to miss the grand opening.  Anyone else up for a road trip?  I bet your knees are starting to feel sore right about now and you are in need of a remedy!

KEIYH

Is This The Way To Beverly Hills?

After an uneventful flight today, we ended up having to wait for about 90 minutes for our shuttle ride from Denver to Buena Vista.  The arrival of the ride was the moment I realized I wasn't going to be running in Beverly HIlls.  We met up with a couple from outside of Paris (not Illinois, France) - Jean and Irene (and I am taking a guess at spelling John's name here...think I'm close?).  We also were introduced to Scott and Chris...two lads from Oxford...yes, the UK.  Love the way those mates talk. "No worries"....We are heading out to meet them for dinner in a few minutes.  They are living in luxury at the Best Western, while we are slumming it at the Super 8. 

But it wasn't their speech, or the country of origin that put the feeling of inadequacy in my step.  It was their "look".  Not the missing limbs from previous hardcore events.  Not their 3rd nipple.  And, no, we did not get a peek at their speedo-like skivvies (though Lynn was trying...I swear!).  It was the fact that they looked "rugged".  Like they belonged here.  Weather worn would be another good way to describe them.  Wrinkles where they should be.  Good tans.  Messed up hair.  Cargo shorts.  Swimming pools.  Movie starts.....

Lets just say Lynn looked Gucci like in a cute jean skirt, and I looked....well, like me.  Even my rugged goatee didn't have the intend affect of "I belong".  Damn.   But on further discussion, we found that said couple from Paris hasn't trained at altitude like we have (that .16 incline up Morehead Avenue).  Chris and Scott however are quite the world travellers and were talking all about Ironman's during the 3 hour ride.  I guess I could've talked about my 3 sprint triathlons, but they didn't seem to measure up.  After all, one was in a pool at the Beverly Hills Hilton, and the run portion of that even was really a walk up Rodeo Drive.

So tomorrow we need to have new gameplan.  I am going to find the local tattoo parlor and get a "You're In My Way...MOVE!" tat....maybe even an "Eat My Dust" tat on my calf that they will see when I come flying by.  Oh, and I am going to shave my head and get a big hoop earring too.  Then the so called competition will know I mean business.

After that, I'll probably try to find a nail salon....have to look good for the welcome dinner on Saturday.  You wouldn't catch Brandon and Dylon looking this rugged....

KEIYH

Time To Put Up...Or Shut Up

Time to be serious (or as best I can) as we leave tomorrow for Colorado. The last 8 months has gone by in a blur, and I find it hard to believe that we are actually going to do this thing. I am itching to go! It has been one incredible journey so far. I head into the run very confident that we are going to be fine, that we will make it to the finish, and that it will be everything we imagined…and more.
It is amazing how the simple request of asking someone to help a family they don’t know can turn into an outpouring of support. I am not one who likes to fundraise, and this is only the second time I have done it. To do so, I feel I need to earn it – hopefully you feel I have. To all the donors (so far) to the Gudeman family and to CNCF – THANK YOU SO MUCH! You may not have known Emmah, but you all know someone like her – a 13 year old girl who was robbed of experiencing the great joys of life that pre-teens and teenagers should. She may be gone, but she is not forgotten and over this next week we run to celebrate her.

So many people have told me since I shared I was doing this event that I am crazy, nuts, ambitious, thoughtful, sincere, humorous, generous, kind-hearted and even strange. Whatever you may be thinking, I hope I am also an inspiration.

People have also been quite willing to provide advice or suggestions on how to best tackle this run. How to run up hills, how to run down hills, how to deal with altitude, what to expect (headaches, sluggishness), what to do in Buena Vista (and Beaver Creek) and places in-between, how to recover quicker, how to best sleep in a tent, what to eat, what to drink…..the list goes on and on. Much of the advice I have taken, or read more about. Others, I have had to let go of because circumstances are out of my control. But they have all been received in the spirit of wanting to make sure we make it through this safely. We know you are rooting for us to succeed. To my long-distance ultra coach Lisa – you’ve been awesome!! Someday I want to be you when I grow up.

Lynn and I have been interviewed twice in the past few weeks and the question keeps coming up about what worries us the most about the run. Besides the hills, I worry about the little nagging injuries I have turning into something worse. Also, hopefully no illnesses will hit us, and neither of us will trip on a rock, stumble down a hill, or do something else stupid (like trying to catch a t-shirt at a hockey game like it is a foul ball – darn injury set me back 6 weeks!). I also worry that I am going to forget to pack something I will need – even though I have been setting aside stuff few weeks now. Do I need hair product???

I am looking forward to meeting all the other competitors in Buena Vista, talking “shop”, and soaking up every aspect of the experience. This may never happen again, so I intend on approaching it with a smile, and high-fiving a few tree branches along the way to gain energy (yes – another tip – which I plan on using)!

It is with anticipation that I go to bed tonight and hope to sleep well. I look forward to sharing our thoughts via the blog with you during the next 10 days – should a wireless internet connection be available along the way wherever we are camping.

And perhaps most importantly – I look forward to making it to the finish line Friday night with my running teammate Lynn – who was awesome to take this journey with me (thank you so much!!!) – so we can meet up with Jeff and Julie and celebrate the little girl who has given me the incredible energy and desire to see the Transrockies Run through to the end. This run may be happening with my body, but it is going to be achieved with Emmah’s bracelet on my wrist, Emmah’s photo pinned to my chest, and Emmah’s memory in my heart.

KEIYH

PS - be sure to read down for another post.  There was a second one this morning - from Jeff!

Not wanting to steal the thunder…

Right from the start of this endeavor, Ken has allowed me to be a contributing entity to this blog.  I’ve kept my fingers and my thoughts at bay as Ken is a fine writer and this is (after all) his “baby”.  Even so… if you have even the slightest savoir-faire of a computer mouse, then subsequently you should also be aware that I too am a fellow blogger.  I have been posting the trials and tribulations and general tomfoolery of my family for about 5 years now… the last few primarily revolving around our struggles of keeping Emmah healthy and the cancer away from (and out of) her while maintaining a facade of a normal family life… and as best we could, a normalcy for Emmah, the other five kids and ourselves… ourselves being Julie and myself. 

We fought the good fight and got beat by a deadly and “resourceful” cancer. 

Nobody wants to hear that they have cancer… nobody… let alone hear that their child has it!  Just like everything else (I imagine) when faced with a circumstance such as this, you hope for the best and prepare for the worst.  Prepare as you might (and do) you can never be sure that you are sufficiently prepared to engage in this battle… and it is a battle.  As is the case too when faced with such an opponent, you (at worst) hope for a "treatable" and/or (at best) a curable cancer, but we don’t get to pick our opponent… it picks you. 

I realize that it’s easy to make this next statement in light of what has happened to us, but after doing our initial research on Neuroblastoma, I can honestly say that this would not be at the top of our pick list as it is a notorious relapser.  More often than not, when that happens… let’s just say that the results aren’t what you would call desired.  There is many a story that end the same way ours did.  While it has a low number of annual cases (compared to others) it makes up something like 15% of all the deaths associated with pediatric cancers.

It is an insidious disease.

Ken and Lynn are about to embark on (to borrow a line from Vizzini... The Princess Bride) an  "Inconceivable!" battle of their own... one that is totally different than ours yet (to us mortals) equally unimaginable.  

Much like we did, Ken and Lynn are hoping for the best outcome for this gigantic undertaking.  If for some odd reason they’re not (yeah… right…) we are.  I’m not going to mention anything more (than this) about the worst... not even going to go there.  They have prepared themselves physically and mentally... though Ken was wondering how many shoes to bring... for the record, I suggested one for each foot.  

I am sure that they have prepared themselves sufficiently and we completely expect to see them sprinting across that finish line...

Okay walking will do...

Actually, crawling and/or rolling… or even being dragged (and still breathing) will also be acceptable methods of a finish. 

In all honesty, I hope that they are able finish in whatever fashion they have envisioned for themselves… and if I know Ken (and I do) they will be in an all out sprint with a headlong dive over the finish line exclaiming “Did we win?!?”

It is a privilege to call Ken my friend… albeit an odd one… but a privilege just the same.  Though I haven’t personally met Lynn, I, as is Julie, am very much looking forward to it when we get that chance at the end of the race on the 27th.  To embark on such an undertaking with having never met Emmah and to run for her and in her memory (not to mention having to put up with Ken for - all - those - miles) says a lot about her character and a lot about her as a human being. 

It will be a privilege to make her acquaintance and call her friend.

The past three and a half years (prior to her passing) that we battled Emmah’s illness were a test of many things.  We know that we are (and will be) facing many new tests moving forward as we try to begin our lives anew without Emmah’s physical presence in it.

While we can (and will) personally thank Ken and Lynn… we realize that we can’t thank each and every one of you personally.  We also know that to simply say ‘thank-you’ seems inadequate and trite.  However, we hope that this most heartfelt Thank-you will serve in its intention by letting you all know how truly thankful (and humbled) we are for the support that you have given us.  Whether you donated spiritually or monetarily, we don’t know where we’d be without it.

Going forward, we will strive to ‘pay it forward’ and to be as giving of ourselves to others in need as you all have been to us.

Thank you Ken

Thank you Lynn

Godspeed to you both...

See you at the finish line! 

KEIYH

Attention! All butterflies in formation…

From the time I was a young girl, I have always had butterflies before ‘big’ events. Those events included – first days of school, performing in plays and concerts. Butterflies followed me through high school and college – dating, taking exams, delivering presentations. During life after college, these fluttering creatures rumbled inside my stomach during client meetings, speaking at conferences and yes, running marathons.

From this lifetime of experiences with butterflies, I have learned two things –

1. If you don’t get butterflies, you don’t really care, and

2. As long as your butterflies fly in formation, you have the edge.

I can honestly admit during the past several weeks, I have been swarmed by (you guessed it) butterflies.

Ken and I leave this Thursday, August 19 for what will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable and challenging adventures of our lives. The training is done, the bags are nearly packed, and the unknown looms before us. I am so anxious, excited and energized to ‘get this show of the road’, I can barely sit still. The best part of this energy stems from why we are ultimately running 113 miles – for Emmah. Every little girl deserves to be giddy with excitement and smiling with anticipation to the point her cheeks hurt. I can only hope Emmah had many of these happy of moments in her brief lifetime.

Thank you Emmah for being our inspiration. I dedicate my butterflies to you!

Lynn

KEIYH