Member Spotlight: Shane Pitsch. From Couch to 50K & How he Found his Tribe on the Trail.

THREE YEARS AGO I DECIDED I NEEDED TO LOSE WEIGHT AND GET IN BETTER SHAPE. I STARTED WALKING A LOT AND MAKING BETTER NUTRITIONAL DECISIONS, AND LOST 75 LBS. THE WALKING EVENTUALLY LED TO RUNNING NEARLY A YEAR LATER. THE STATESMAN CAP 10K WAS MY FIRST RACE. A WEEK AFTER THAT I RAN ONE OF THOSE ROGUE 30K TRAIL RACES. I WAS ONE OF THE LAST FINISHERS BUT HAD A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE. THE FOLLOWING OCTOBER, I RAN ALL THREE RACES IN THE GRAND CIRCLE TRAIL FEST. THEN,  I WAS HOOKED ON TRAILS.

Shane just recently completed his first 50k. After training for over a year with Trail Roots, he established some solid relationships and had friends to help him prepare for his big trail race. Shane shares some of his race memories below.

I CHOSE THE OREGON COAST 50K FOR A FEW REASONS. I HAD BEEN INTERESTED IN SEVERAL OF THE RACES RAINSHADOW RUNNING PUTS ON. I HAD CONSIDERED THE GORGE WATERFALLS 50K BUT IT WAS CANCELLED DUE TO WILDFIRE DAMAGE. THIS RACE LOOKED LIKE A NICE ALTERNATIVE AND THAT PROVED TO BE THE CASE. IT WAS SPECTACULAR! ALSO, A FEW OF MY BEST FRIENDS LIVE IN SOUTHERN OREGON, SO THIS GAVE ME A GOOD EXCUSE TO GO VISIT THEM!

MY FAVORITE MEMORY DURING TRAINING WAS COMPLETING MY LAST LONG-RUN BEFORE STARTING MY TAPER. IT WAS 24 MILES OUT AT FOREST RIDGE/ST. ED'S AND AFTER I FINISHED, I KNEW I WAS READY TO TACKLE OREGON. MY WORST MEMORY DURING TRAINING WAS PROBABLY TWO WEEKS PRIOR, FINISHING A 14 MILE RUN (ALSO OUT AT FR/ST. ED'S), FEELING COMPLETELY BEAT DOWN AND WONDERING HOW IN THE HELL I WAS GOING TO FINISH THAT RACE. IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE TWO WEEKS CAN MAKE!

-MY FAVORITE PART OF THE RACE WAS RUNNING ON THE SINGLE TRACK SECTIONS, THROUGH LUSH, EMERALD GREEN, OLD-GROWTH FOREST. THE TRAIL WAS CUSHIONY WITH PINE NEEDLES. THE HARDEST PART WAS MOST DEFINITELY THE THREE MILE CLIMB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RACE. THAT ONE KICKED MY BUTT! ALSO, I WAS PRETTY CONCERNED ABOUT BEATING THE CUTOFF AT THE LAST AID STATION, BUT I ENDED UP BEATING IT WITH PLENTY OF TIME TO SPARE.

MY FAVORITE TRAIL ROOTS MEMORY SO FAR IS THE TRIP OUT TO RUN THE BIGHORN TRAIL RUN. OUR CREW WAS ME, PATRICK, TRACY, CLAY AND MICHAEL KLEINPASTE. THAT WAS QUITE AN ADVENTURE! IN GENERAL, THOUGH, THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING A PART OF TR IS ALL OF THE AMAZING FRIENDS I HAVE MADE.