IAU World Championships- Tracy in Wonderland

Monday, I flew from San Francisco to Copenhagen. My flight to Chicago was delayed, so I actually got UPGRADED to a direct flight. Pretty rare that a flying experience works out better than expected.

I got off the train in Næstved to my 3 boys: SR, Laksen and Giaps. I just couldn't stop crying and hugging them. In many ways, it had been the longest two weeks of my life. They both seemed to remember me, but Christian had to ask why I absurdly was calling him "The Salmon" (Laksen, what I've always called him) in Danish. Two weeks ago it was normal, but how quickly everything changes in the life of little ones.

Mattias (Giaple) is of course still using a nook, so at least that hasn't changed. And he still loves shoes and helping his mother figure out which ones to wear.

 Mattias went from having a 10 word vocabulary to speaking in full sentances while I was away. How bizarre. Yet, in most ways, he seemed unchanged.

Within 24 hours, I was on my way to the Manchester airport, where I rented this.  What is wrong with this picture?? Sure the steering wheel is on the wong side, but much more importantly, the stick shift is on the left. It's akin to trying to speak Spanish when you only know French, but involves potential loss of lives. Not good.

But by the time I was outside of Conwy, Wales, however, I had figured out how to take pictures and drive at the same time. 

The next morning, we were out on the race course. From left to right: Dave James, Brian Rusiecki, Ben Nephew, Amy Rusciecki and me.

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 Some views from the course in Gwydyr Forest:

 Today was the opening ceremony of the IAU Worlds in trail and here is Team USA in its entirety.

Michele Yates, Tracy Høeg, Dave James, Stefanie Bernosky, Brian Rusiecki, Amy Rusiecki,  Justin Ricks, Jason  Bryant, Ben Nephew and David Riddle.

Ahh, Michele. What an awesome roommate! We have had a lot of fun. She is in control of her body, this woman, and I love her good karma. 

David Riddle and I had to get a Team Salomon DK meets Team Salomon USA in our Nike outfits. But the shoes are  the windows to the soul.

Here is Team Greece kidnapping our Greek American, Dave. One of Greece's most outstanding runners, Argi, ran Western States last weekend, so couldn't make it. Funny how I had just become friends with him last weekend, to meet his buddies this weekend.

Here is Davi getting interviewed by VO2.fr a French website. He interviewed me next soley because I started speaking French with him. Being a polyglot can get you much further in this world than running talent :0)... 

Here is VO2's website. He seemed to like the fact I used to train in France. Boy, that was 13 years ago now!

My mind is a complete blank in terms of this race. I have no idea what time to expect or how much I should push myself. I have not run a 50 miler since before I was pregnant with Mattias. And after that pregnancy, everything has changed. 

It felt right when I learned that Alice had lived here and that Lewis Carroll had written her story here in Llandudno. None of this feels real and feels also very wonderful to meet runners from all over the world and to find truly good friends in my American teammates. It is typical of trail runners, I have learned, to be open, accepting, educated and goofy. I hope this doesn't change. I actually have to say, I feel the American team stands out in its laid back attitude and goofiness and, in this way, I feel right at home. And that is a good feeling.

Tomorrow I'm running. My lucky charms, SR, Christian, Mattias and Natali, will be in my heart - the whole way, or at least on the downshills, when I'm capable of thinking.

Here is Ben Nephew's race preview on Irunfar.

Here is a link to live athlete tracking: