High Cloud Blog

High Cloud sets sail with Pirate's Booty!

High Clouders - Friday, February 25, 2011

By Alex Nickodem
High Cloud Dream Team



Ahoy, High Clouders and Mateys!

We at High Cloud want to thank our newest sponsor,Pirate’s Booty, for joining our awesome team! Thanks for coming out and supporting us and our participants at the High Cloud Snapple Half-Marathon in January 2011. The event was a great success! 

With the money that was fundraised from this High Cloud event, we will provide a water tank for our High Cloud school in Maasailand, Kenya, and we will conduct eye exams for our kindergarten kids in Rayito del Sol school in Lima, Peru.
As athletes, we train hard, we stay disciplined and we maintain a healthy lifestyle. With Pirate’s Booty, we can indulge on a guilt-free snack that is both healthy and delicious. Pirate’s Booty is all-natural, gluten and trans-fat free, and full of good, wholesome fun! They have a lot of great flavors, like Aged White Cheddar, Veggie, Barbeque, and many more. Their newest treasure is the Chocolate flavor that goes great in a bowl with some low-fat or soy milk…THAR BE GOOD!

The High Cloud team is hooked and looks forward to the months ahead with all of our events and races with Pirate Booty on board! 

 

 

 

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Race report from Francesca

High Clouders - Friday, February 18, 2011
Francesca achieves 5K personal best By Francesca Di Silvio High Cloud Dream Team I am excited to file a report of my first race as a member of the High Cloud Dream Team. While many of my teammates were showing off this weekend in the Cupid’s Undie Run, or going the distance in the Holiday Lake 50K, I made my High Cloud debut in a shorter and slightly less wacky venue, the Love the Run You’re With 5K in Arlington, Virginia. The second running of this Valentine’s-themed race was a great time and very well attended with nearly 1,700 finishers. It was a straightforward out-and-back course along Army Navy Drive in the Pentagon City area, but definitely more hilly than I had anticipated. Fortunately, the major uphill came at the start of the race so the final mile felt good. I am happy to report that I finished with a 16-second PR for a 5K outside of a triathlon. Yes, that means that I have run my fastest 5K split during a triathlon; I guess I need the swim and bike warm up to go my fastest. I also appreciated running in my team singlet and hearing from other competitors and race volunteers what an important and well-respected group High Cloud is.
A fun element of this event was that everyone competed in a self-designated romantic category of “Co-dependent,” “Stupid Cupid,” or “Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em.” There were special prizes for the top male and female finishers in each category as well as a team competition.  Although my team finished just out of the money in the highly competitive co-dependent category, I enjoyed seeing a race that really celebrates partners and families supporting each other in running and, in many cases, running together. There was even a finish line marriage proposal!
I think this short report of a short race is best ended with an action photo of one of my favorite parts of competition--post-race eating.


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Darrel Williams joins Dream Team

High Clouders - Sunday, February 13, 2011

High Cloud welcomes Darrel Williams to the Dream Team


A world traveler and triathlete, Darrel Williams fits right in with the High Cloud Foundation.  It gladly welcomes him to the Dream Team, comprised of amateur and professional athletes who want to represent the foundation’s charitable work at endurance events around the world.

“I am very excited about being part of High Cloud Dream Team, and I know this will make for an awesome 2011,” he said.

Visit Darrel's Web site!

Darrel comes from England, and he competed in track and kart racing during his high school and college years.  During his extensive travels, he met his wife Jenny in Magnolia Springs, Alabama and settled there.  After moving to the South, Darrel began to manage a fitness studio and to get back into running.

“I tried out a few 5k races and started to win after a few tries,” he said. 

Soon his attention turned to triathlons.

“I had not heard of triathlons until a friend told me that he was a triathlete,” he said.  “He lent me his bike and I gave it a try. I won my third triathlon and have never looked back.”

That first victory was only two years ago, and last year he won 12 of 20 races outright.  His talents have been catching the attention of local media, as well as sponsors like DeSoto Triathlon and Garden of Life.

High Cloud now sponsors him as well.  He met founders Adriana and Matt Anderson at Ironman Cozumel. 

“We got chatting and I realized then from the enthusiasm they spoke with, what a huge booster it would be to know I'm racing for such a good cause and a great team of people,” he said.

Darrel has been working on his swimming skills, and his goals this year include qualifying for Kona and going pro.  Soon, he’s moving with his wife to Austin, Texas, where he believes his career can take off.

“With the High Cloud triathlon coach helping to organize my training and the support of the team I feel so confident I can make it happen,” he said.

 

 

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Rhyne Enjoys Disney Marathon, but wants to be "Goofy" next year

High Clouders - Tuesday, February 08, 2011


Happy 2011 High Cloud family!! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and an even better “offseason” (emphasis on “off” for me!). I am positive that this year is going to prove to be an AMAZING year for all of us and I’m truly looking forward to working/training with the High Cloud Dream Team.

To get things started and kick the year off right, fellow High Clouder, Hillary Peabody and I traveled down to Orlando, FL for the 2011 Disney Marathon. Held annually, this year’s Marathon Weekend took place January 7-9 and remains one of the more popular and family-oriented marathons in the world. The weekend consisted of not only a 26.2 mile run but also a number of different racing options to include a Kid’s 5K race, Half-marathon, or for those so emboldened: the Goofy Challenge. As an added bonus, marathon finishers are offered a free 1-day entry into any of the parks on the Monday following the marathon weekend. If you are planning on doing this race next year, this is definitely something that you should take advantage of.

We left DC Saturday morning and after a quick two-hour flight, arrived in Orlando. Soon after we proceeded directly to packet pickup at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. We were both there for the marathon, but after talking to a number of competitors, many had been planning on participating in the Goofy Challenge.  For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Goofy Challenge is comprised of running the Half-marathon (13.1 mi) and then the Full marathon (26.2 mi) the next day! I’ll have to admit that we were both a little jealous and will probably be planning to do this race next year just for that! Who’s with us? Any takers?...



This was definitely a race of firsts for me. For one thing, getting up at 3AM to run a marathon at 0530 was certainly new. I usually consider myself a morning person but getting up at 3AM was pushing it. We got to the marshalling area about an hour before start time and checked in our bags. The weather was forecasted to get up to a high of 60 degrees later in the day. In the morning however, I don’t think it was higher than 40 degrees. Needless to say that the High Cloud arm warmers we had on hand saved the day for us (Thanks Adriana/Matt!). The start line was about a half mile down the road which was perfect to warm us up prior to the race.

While we were down in Orlando, we met up with a few mutual running friends. One athlete, Jeff Aslen, decided to join us both on the run. Jeff, an amazing running athlete in his own right, had come down to participate in the Goofy Challenge and had run the Half-marathon the previous day. As the gun and fireworks went off to signal the start, all three of us ran stride for stride throughout the marathon amongst the 12,000 plus participants.



Our intention for running was primarily to have fun and really enjoy this “race” This was not going to be a PR for us by any means but we certainly had a great time whether it was stopping to take pictures with the Disney characters, meeting the running legend Jeff Galloway, taking in the sites and sounds of the Disney parks, or even riding a roller coaster in the middle of the race (yes, a ROLLER COASTER!). For me, running through the theme parks also brought up an air of nostalgia as I remembered all the times that my parents had taken me to Disney as a kid. Even though it’s been years since I’ve been here, one can still a “feel the magic” of Disney throughout all the parks and crowd supporters. Other runners also got into the spirit too by wearing their very own running style Disney costumes! It was so amazing that I caught myself running with a smile on my face the entire way.

Though it was early in the season, our trip down to Orlando for the Disney Marathon was one of the more memorable and enjoyable times I’ve had running an endurance event. While some people billed this as a “race,” for others this seemed to also be another way of revisiting those childhood days and to feel the wonderment of Disney Magic.

If you haven’t decided yet, mark your calendars folks because it sure is going to be on the top of my list... only this time we’re gonna get “Goofy.” 
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High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon

High Clouders - Tuesday, February 08, 2011
High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon gets foundation's year off to a running start

By Emily Long
High Cloud Dream Team

High Cloud’s first big event of the year was the High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon on Saturday, Jan. 29 in Carderock, Md. High Cloud supporters and the 2011 Dream Team were out in full force, doing everything from runner check-in and staffing the finish line to race photography and bike support, with the help of other great volunteers. We covered both Base Camp – the start/finish area – and on-course needs. It was the first time many of us had met and provided an opportunity to spend time together while supporting a great High Cloud event. 



The race was 13.1 miles out and back on the C&O Canal towpath starting at the Carderock Recreation Center. Despite several inches of snow lingering from the D.C.-area storms just days earlier and freezing temperatures, more than 200 runners showed up and checked in for the race. Dream Team members worked together to hand out numbers, timing chips and T-shirts – there were a few frozen fingers at the end of check-in! Most of the runners got some Starbucks coffee or hot chocolate and headed back to their cars to stay warm while waiting for the start. 

Once the race began at 9am, Base Camp volunteers took a few minutes to warm up in heated cars and then started setting up the finish line and post-race food and restocking aid stations. A few people made a trip to a nearby Starbucks for more hot water and coffee, while others carried supplies out to the course. A little more than an hour later, we heard that the first runner was closing in, so most volunteers headed over to see competitors cross the finish line.



Runners were greeted at the end of the race with cheering Dream Team members and spectators, a High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon medal and a buffet of potato leek soup, Einstein Bros. bagels, bananas, Wheaties and plenty of Snapple tea. Many came in with sore ankles and icy eyebrows, a true testament to how cold and snow-covered the course was. It was an impressive performance by all, especially given the tough conditions. A number of runners stuck around for the awards ceremony held at the finish festival, taking advantage of the post-race goodies before heading home to get warm. 



Definitely noteworthy was the support from the amazing organizations and volunteers who braved the cold to make sure the race went smoothly. Marathon Charity Cooperative provided timing and other support, the DC Tri Club brought out a number of volunteers, and the Snapple Tri Team, Crossfit Sweat of Springfield and the DC Capital Striders Running Club stocked the aid stations. Pirates Booty came out with goodies for the runners, while Bethesda’s RiRa provided the popular hot potato leek soup at the finish and hosted the post-race party. Dream Team members – including Liane, Mark, Glen, Mike, Alex, Gloria, Shireen, Anna, Rhyne, Courtney, Hillary and Emily – also did great work on throughout the race. A special thanks to High Cloud founders Adriana and Matt for all their hard work and to Hillary for many late nights and hours spent leading up to the race. Runners provided a lot of positive feedback about how smoothly the race was run.



All in all, the race was a huge success, raising over $6,000 to install a new water tank at High Cloud’s Kimuka School in Kenya, support microfinance programs and hire new teachers. It was also a great chance for new Dream Team members to meet each other and those who have been with High Cloud for a long time. When we arrived we jumped right in with set-up and check-in responsibilities, but after the runners took off, we had some time to get to know one another. As with any group of athletes meeting for the first time, we talked a lot about the upcoming season and our racing and training plans, but by the end of the event we’d already made great connections and now have a lot to look forward to. I think we’ve also got some exciting things planned for the season and plenty to learn from each other in the process. And we’re all eager to get more involved with High Cloud’s work!

Thanks to Dream Team Member Alex Nickodem for his race-day photographs!

 



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Ironman Arizona: Pure Awesomeness!

High Clouders - Sunday, February 06, 2011
By Jen Knickerbocker


Jen Knickerbocker recently completed Ironman Arizona, and we asked her to write about her experience.  She said she initially didn’t want to...
“After rejecting the idea, I thought it might actually be a good idea for me to record this so that when I’m tempted to consider ever doing it again, I can refer back to it and hopefully come back to my senses.  Not that it was a bad experience.  As a matter of fact, it was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had.  Pure awesomeness.”
Thanks to Jen for giving her TOP 10 of the race!
My top 10 from the day:
#10 – Getting to the start line!  It was a multi-year journey, and I credit making it to the starting line to realizing that I just can’t train like I thought I needed to train for an Ironman.  With 5 kids who I’m trying not to completely mess up + a husband that I really like and hope to keep around for a while + a super challenging 80-hour/week job, I cannot train 17 hours/week.  I am a slow learner – ended up in a New York City emergency room with pneumonia the first year I tried it (along with a gunshot wound victim, somebody with an ugly bar fight head wound, and a crazy lady screaming for coffee as fellow patients that evening).  Then one of my kidneys decided to stop working a couple of weeks before the race last year.  I finally came to the realization that I REALLY don’t like hospitals and should include a strategy to avoid them in my training plan.  And this year, of more than 2,700 registered racers, about 15% didn’t make it to the start line, but I did!
#9 – Being in a race with Sister Madonna Buder. So she didn’t continue after the swim – so what?  She’s still a hero to me.  Has there ever in the history of the world been another 80-year-old woman who would get up at 4:30 in the morning to go jump in 61 degree water to start an Ironman journey?  Of course not!  She rocks!  And I’m incredibly proud to have been in the water with her.

#8 – Chrissie Wellington.  She is AMAZING!  She broke the world record that day.  So cool when she blew by me on the bike (she was on her final loop, I was on my first).  Then she was at the finish line as I crossed to congratulate me (and all of the other late finishers).  I have to admit I really don’t remember this--I was a little out of it at the time.  But she was there, and she is a rock star and is forever cemented in my mind as world class for taking time to encourage those who take up triathlons for reasons other than winning the event.

#7 – Wearing a wetsuit.  My official flotation device.  Incredibly important to me....
#6 – Not drowning.  Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m not kidding….this is a huge accomplishment.  I DO NOT like putting my face in the water or being in water that other creatures live in, and I barely know how to swim anyway.  While I know in my head that Lake Tempe is fresh water that comes from the mountains, this fact did not stop me from worrying that I might be attacked by a shark.  Or a giant alligator.  Speaking of which, I don’t understand all of the crazies who do Ironman Lake Placid every year.  Have they not seen the movie?!!!   Not drowning was great, though, because it gave me the opportunity to ride my bike….

Stats:  Swim time 1:33:30 (goal <2 hours); 95/133 AG; 1901/2361 OA  
#5 – Riding my bike!  I love to ride my bike.  A bad day on a bike is better than a good day doing anything else.  It was ridiculously windy – to a point where I didn’t feel stable and was afraid to take my hands off the handlebar.  I didn’t stay aero and didn’t eat for long segments on the bike.  And it rained (in the desert), but that was ok; it kept the heat down.  I had a great time on my bike, and realized on my third lap that I probably could have ridden harder on the first two and would have felt fine.  Lots of lessons like this learned that day….that’s what a first Ironman is all about, right?



Stats:  Bike time 6:40:46 (goal <7 hours); 55/133 AG; 1453/1901 OA.  The good part about being such a slow swimmer is that I get to pass more people than pass me on the bike!
#4 – The volunteers.  They were incredible.  My only complaint was that they moved a little too fast in the transition tent.  They give NASCAR pit crews a run for their money.  They can strip you, dress you, lather you with sunscreen, tie your shoes, and send you out of the tent in record time – whether you’re ready to start the next phase or not!  Then they’re out on the course feeding you, massaging muscles, getting you back on track when you’re delirious and take a wrong turn on the run, and relentlessly encouraging you.  Their role is more important than most people realize, and I’m grateful for the five-star support I received.
#3 – Port-a-potties.  Unlike many folks who decide to pee on themselves during an Ironman event, I used port-a-potties.  Maybe because so many choose not to use them, they were in relatively decent condition, which I really appreciated.  Especially on the run.  I visited all but one of them between miles 11 and 24 to dry heave in an attempt to get past the nausea and feel better.  Never did get over it, and the dehydration really got to me.
Stats:  Run time 6:08:23 (goal to finish by cut-off, or <8 hours to crawl through the marathon); 100/133 AG; 1877/2361 OA (And I got to see all the people I passed on the bike again!)

#2 – Officially finishing.  Going into the day, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it to the finish line, and I thought I’d be pushing the 17-hour cutoff.  While my time is by no means great, it’s great for me and I’m glad I didn’t have to spend any more time on my feet!  The 10+ miles of walking I did took plenty long enough for me.  Those of you who have done this know how cool it is to hear Mike Reilly yell, “First time Ironman, Jennifer – YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!”

Stats: Total time 14:40:42 (goal 16:59:59); 83/133 AG; 1756/2361 OA.  I beat 600 people!  Unbelievable. And I wasn’t in the bottom third in my age group!!!  Seriously unbelievable.  Woo hoo!
#1 – Neil (my best friend/husband) and my many fabulous friends/training buddies who helped me get to the start line and cheered for me all day.  Neil carried me through the run and got me to the finish line.  OK, he didn’t literally pick me up and carry me, but I wouldn’t have been as motivated to get to the next mile marker if I hadn’t been looking forward to the camera in my face as I stepped out of the port-a-potty (yes, he was kind enough to record my obsession with each port-a-potty by capturing it for my photo album).  While the crowd turned on him when he yelled “Hurry it up!” as I passed him at the bike turnaround, they just didn’t realize that he knows exactly how to motivate me and keep me moving.  Because of his great coaching and encouragement over the years, I knew better than to start crying at any point during the day (“You’re just dehydrating yourself,” or “You are wasting all of your energy,” are the two coaching tips he shares with me in response to this technical mistake).  In all seriousness, it meant the world to me to see him waiting for me at mile 10 on the run (about ½ a mile into my stomach issues), have him run alongside me for portions of it (shhhh – don’t tell the race officials), and to know he was waiting for me at the finish.  He’s the inspiration behind all of this insanity…. the reason I can now call myself an Ironman.  
What’s next?  
  1. Swim lessons.  I don’t ever want to spend that much time in the water again.  I want to get faster – not because I have a time goal that I want to hit in order to have a better result, but because I need to be able to get this part of the event over with faster.  Sheer terror is not a fun way to start a day.  Besides, I don’t want to look like such an easy target for the sharks.

  2. IM Cozumel 2011.  Why?  Because I can’t just deal with my fear of the water, I have to finally overcome it in an ocean (where there really may be sharks) without depending on my wetsuit for flotation.  So I didn’t answer the question….Why?  I don’t know.  Guess I really have lost my senses (refer to opening sentence).  I have no real goals or expectations beyond the swim.  If I’m not feeling it and decide to bail on the run to spend the afternoon at the beach, so be it.  But I need to finish the swim.  Neil will be doing this one with me (will be his 7th), along with many of my High Cloud friends, so it’s sure to be a great day!
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High Cloud's First Annual Spinathon

High Clouders - Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Did you have fun at the High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon and Red Nose Run? Are you ready for some more fun?

High Cloud is now putting on a Spinathon on Sunday, February 28th to be coached by the amazing Ron Benedict, Courtney Fulton and Jen Knickerbocker. You can do one hour, 2 hours, or all three- its a great deal, there will be raffle prizes, and the money raised supports our programs for children living in poverty here in the US and around the world. We only have a few limited spots! Register at:

https://www.highcloudevents.org/HighCloudsFirstAnnualSpinathon

Join us, because dreams come true!

Cheers,

The High Clouders!
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