Bre Mirynech.

Kodiak 50k was truly the cherry on top of an incredible year. To get to the fully story of Kodiak however, we need to back it up to the start of 2023. Prior to running Black Canyon, I had a tiny little twing pop up in my hamstring. I went to see my physio Bri, and she gave me some great ways to manage it and still make it to Black Canyon healthy and strong. My strength coach Kyle also incorporated some specific exercises to help as well. Fortunately it went away and wasn’t an issue at all throughout the entire 100km of the Black Canyon course. Recovery for Black Canyon went well and 6 weeks later I was back on the start line, this time for Gorge Waterfalls. Over the course of the race I started to notice that hamstring feeling creeped back up, however it was never bad and for most of the race I was able to forget about it. 

After taking some time after Gorge to recover, I got back to running but noticed that my hamstring was still a thing. I went back to see Bri and we decided to dial back the running and keep thing flat for a while to see if it responded to that. I took a couple of weeks off as well, but eventually wanted to get back to running as I had the Sinister relay with my friends coming up and I didn’t want to miss out on that. Thanks to Bri’s plan and my continued strength training with Kyle, I was able to get through the relay without too much issue and it was nice to temporarily forget about my hamstring and just enjoy the race with my friends. However, after that it really started to act up more as I was out for some summer runs. Through further trouble shooting with Bri, we came to the conclusion that it wasn’t my hamstring but rather an issue in my hip area. I took some more time off, took it easy, but again it still acted up when I returned back to running. 

I knew I had Golden Ultra and Kodiak coming up soon, so Bri and I made a more agresssive plan. I dropped out of Golden and decided to prioritize Kodiak. I took 4 weeks off of running, and during that time I saw Bri very consistently for needling and treatment. I focused on cross training, my strength training with Kyle, and he also gave me some breathing exercises to help open up my lower back/hip. I put my hope in a year of a solid base under me, and focused on what I could do and what I could control. Eventually I eased back into running, bringing it up very conservatively each week, and soon enough it was time to taper for Kodiak. I was not going into it super prepared, but most importantly I was going in pain free. I made two goals for myself for the race: finish, and have the most fun out there!

Before I knew it I was on a plane flying down to LA. I have a lot of family in and around the LA area, so although the race was part of the trip, the biggest part, and my favourite part, was spending time with them. I went for two weeks, getting to spend both a week before and after the race with them. A huge highlight was that a bunch of them came down to crew me, cheer, and spend the weekend in Big Bear. It was so special and something I will never forget. On Friday we all drove down to Big Bear and I picked up my bib and got my gear ready for the next morning. After a delicious dinner and a terrible sleep, suddenly it was 4:00 am and my alarm was going off. Time to go! 

The race was exactly what an ultra should be- a roller coaster of highs, lows, fun, challenges, and lots and lots of smiles. The race started off with an out and back portion, and it was so fun seeing all the top runners head past us on their way back. I specifically fangirled (internally) when I noticed Rachel Drake fly past me. Eventually I was at the first crew spot and my family was there with incredible cheer signs and hugs. I made a fast stop to grab some fuel and then headed back out for the climb. I wouldn’t be seeing them again until 40km, so even though it was early in the race, it made sense to make a quick stop and grab what I needed. 

I headed up the climb nice and steady and it felt much better than I expected. I had expected to really feel it with the altitude, but it felt good and before I knew it I was at the top. I grabbed a quick refill of a bottle and then headed back out onto what I personally feel was one of the most fun section of the course. The course started to gently head downhill on a windy, twisty single track with beautiful views. I had the most fun just rolling with the terrain (and making the occasional race car noises and I sped through the turns). I soaked in the incredible terrain and views, and just let myself flow with the trail. I felt good, and I enjoyed that while it lasted.

Eventually my stomach started to feel a little off (that seems to be a recurring theme this year), and I got a bit nervous about how it was going to go for the rest of the race after my experience at Black Canyon earlier this year. It seemed like the running Gods heard my concerns though, as suddenly out of nowhere an outhouse appeared as I rounded a corner! I couldn’t believe the timing, and I felt much better after going to the bathroom. When I got to the next aid station, I took a bit of a break to hydrate and eat some food, and then continued on my way to the next station where I would be able to see my crew. I took this next section a bit slower, as I was getting quite warm and my stomach, although better, was still feeling unsettled. Walk, run, walk, run, I found my rhythm and put in my headphones to keep my mind distracted. Before I knew it, I was running down into the final crew station. Seeing my family and even more amazing cheer signs made me smile and gave me the boost I needed to head back out for the final 10km. 

Heading back out of the station was an out and back, so I headed back up the hill I just ran down. In this section, I got to see my friend Hadley run by, which gave me even more of an energy boost! I love seeing familiar faces out on the trails. Once the climb was over, it was back to the flowy and rolling terrain that seemed to make up most of this course. I was feeling refreshed, enjoyed chatting to a few people running at a similar pace, and I couldn’t stop being amazed by the size of the trees on this section. They were huge! I kept up my intervals of walking when I needed to, but tried to push and run even when I didn’t feel like it anymore. I knew the last few km of the course were downhill into town, so I focused on just getting to that part. 

Once I finally hit the downhill, I was very ready to be done. I picked up the pace (and I mean really picked it up, like an 8:00 min pace to a 5:00 min pace), and just kept flying downhill knowing I was getting closer and closer. Once I hit the road in town, I knew it was just minutes left. My body gave me one last surprise though, and one I’ve never encountered before. Maybe 1km from the finish line, my calves seized and I almost fell over. That was a shock! I spoke out loud “not today calves” and kept pushing forward. I could finally see the finish line, and it was just one straight slightly uphill stretch to go. I thought that final slight uphill grade was rude haha. I could feel my calves starting to seize again, but just before they could, I was crossing the finish line and Mack was there giving me the biggest hug. Lisa came running over cheering, and I was equal parts stoked and exhausted. Having them there meant the world to me, and it made crossing that finish line even sweeter. Kodiak 50k was officially done! 

This race was a challenge in many ways. Getting to the start line was a challenge, and then completing the distance with slightly less than ideal training made the whole day a challenge too. Also let’s be honest, training or not, an ultra is always a challenge as each one is so unique and anything can happen. The most important thing though was that I achieved my goal before I even crossed that finish line; I had SO much fun out there. Kodiak was another beautiful and fun experience in the bucket, another opportunity to see what I was capable of, a memory shared with family, and the end to a personally huge and successful season.