Michelle ran the Javelina Jundred last year and dropped at mile 77. 
This year was an amazingly different story.

POST RACE INTERVIEW WITH MICHELLE

What all did you do different to prepare this year VS last for the Jundred? 
I have gained a lot of valuable race experience between Javelina Jundred 2005 and the present time (exactly one year later). My 2005 Javelina DNF at mile 77 was mostly due to my feet feeling like the tendons and arches were ripping apart and exploding. I feel the bottom line was I wore the wrong shoes and I paid the price.

I wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. Two weeks after JJ100 2005, I won the San Diego AUA 12 hour national championship and broke the women's course record by running 69.3 miles on a 1-mile loop course. The first place man finished less that a mile ahead of me. I realized running in circles wasn't so bad because you always there are always people around and I love to feed off the energy of people, especially my friends. My daughter Sierra (age 5 at the time) and one of my best friends Andy Mathews from Florida crewed me for the race. It was a wonderful experience. I ended 2005 by running the Ridgecrest 50k.

One of my goals for 2006 was to have a solid 50 miler. I ran the Avalon 50 miler on Catalina Island and I fell in love with the course of private rugged beaches, many buffalo sightings and ocean views for miles. I ran the race with my good friend Don LeRoy of Laguna Niguel and we finished strong in 9:17 with energy to spare. Next on the list was the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler in Texas. I finished in 27:07 with Andy Mathews, who paced me, but I had a horrible time at night staying warm. At mile 80-I ran to the car to put on my pajama's because my teeth were chattering and I was shivering and frozen. Here's the story www.turborunz.com.

Two weeks after my first hundred mile finish at the 'Coon, I ran the Orange Curtain 100k.  Dean Karnazes sent me a motivating email the night before the race something to the tune of "This is YOUR race", so I took his advice and I won first overall and beat all the guys in 10:24. After the OC100k I ran the Way Too Cool 50k, the Leona Divide 50 mile, Miwok 100k, PCT 50 miler (make it 44 miles, stopped when I started peeing blood), Bishop 60k (long story, but I made up my own race distance), Western States 3-day training (Fast Ash and I ran 100 miles in 4 days) My awesome fast friend Ashley Idema (AC 100 CHAMP) and I have made WS camp a 3-year tradition. June was the Holcomb Valley 33-miler (placed 1st in age).

I paced the famous Winged God Gordy Ainsleigh at Western States, Tahoe Rim 50 miler, Bulldog 50k (1st overall female), Mt. Baldy Run To The Top, Endurance 50 marathon #19 with Dean Karnazes and James Bonnett in Surprise, Arizona. Two days after running with Dean, I won first overall female and 5th overall at the Saddleback Mountain Marathon in the Cleveland National Forest. http://www.sshs57.com/photos/100.htm  and http://www.sshs57.com/photos/061007SaddlebackA.htm

Almost forgot - I also wore my two MAGICAL bracelets to keep me motivated during the run.

"Don't Quit" bracelet made by Andy Mathews and his daughter in Florida

Mischa is Michelle's new nick name. Michelle was a model for super hero character Mischa Redblur Ultra Sorceress in a Lost Worlds Fantasy Combat game.  www.canosoarus.com/06NWgame/NW09.htm

Both Michelle and Leigh "Turbo" Corbin made bracelets from inspirational EMails that the famous ultra runner Dean Karnazes sent them.

Between being the best Mom to my sweet 6 year old daughter Sierra, training and coaching the Laguna Beach girls Cross Country team and working at Fleet Feet Sports in Laguna Niguel, CA, It's been a great year of fun!!

Specific details....
Compare the two years in terms of running how often,  How far and how intense? 
Same, probably less running and more x-training. Also more racing experience. Food and drinks differences.  I used all liquid nutrition for Javelina. Although I didn't really plan that ahead of time. Solid's just didn't sound good. I used 20 GU's, 4 packs of Clif Bloks and 4 Trader Joe's Protein smoothies. Clothes.  It was warm at JJ. I wore a HIND jog bra and Nike tempo track shorts and a Fleet Feet Sports cool-max-T at night when I picked up my awesome pacer James Bonnett. Shoes.  I wore Mad Rock Apex for the entire race. No hot spots, black toenails or blisters. I wore SOLE performance socks generously sent by Dean's connections at SOLE. I wore heat molded Dean Karnazes footbeds (the ones you cook in the oven). Tapering procedure?  I'm not real big fan of tapering. I took off running 3 days before the race. I continued to mountain bike and swim.

Do you think all the cross training with your biking and swimming helped a little, a lot or irrelevant & just fun?
Yes, it helps and it is FUN to switch things up. I love riding my mountain bike on my trail and swimming always feels so good (as long as the pool is heated).

Any one thing that made it a totally different experience this year?
I had the best pacer in the world and an awesome crew experienced hundred mile finisher Andy Kumeda. I had neither crew nor pacer last year. I used to think pacers and crew were only for front runners, but I changed my mind. A crew and pacer keeps me accountable. And I need that.

Conditions - temperature extremes?  Presume you would have done great in this race even if it got to 105 degrees like last year?
It only got up to 90 degrees during the day and I love running in the heat anyway.  Never got below 50 degrees during the night.

How far were you into before you were 100% confident you were going to make the distance? 
I know I was going to make the distance this year, no matter what. I was mentally ready for any road blocks and I stayed strong the entire day into the night. I wanted to be competative and mentally stay foecused and tough. Last year you didn't.

What were the bad physical and mental feelings/symptoms that happened in the past that caused you to give up and drop, that just didn't show up this time?  Why?
Not enough sodium, too little protein, not enough training at distances over 50k.

Forgot if this race required weigh-ins and if so - how you varied through the run?
No idea.  I didn't weigh myself. Actually, James asked me to weigh in the morning after, because we joked about how we usually both gain weight during an ultra. Go figure. Well, I weighed 110 with my shoes and clothes on. I might have dropped a pound or two.

When did you first know you had a chance to win 1st female?
On the second lap, at mile 24 when I passed the first place girl from Canada. I didn't really plan to lead the women's race that early on, but my pace felt entirely comfortable so I went with it. I didn't even look at my watch the entire race. I didn't even start my stopwatch. I run for fun and go how I feel. I never keep track of anything. I don't keep a training log.

Were you ever worried in the least after that about any other of the runner ladies? (I am thinking how you had to push, push at the Saddleback Mountain Marathon because of the 2nd place girl.)
No, I wasn't worried too much after the 3rd lap. The gap kept spreading and spreading.   Yes, I worked so hard for my win at Saddleback, Guillermo Medina pushed me really hard because he knew how much I wanted to win. My legs were feeling dead from running with Dean and James in Arizona two days prior.

Michelle with super pacer James Bonett

How much does a pacer and crew really help? 
A good pacer helps immensely. I can not imagine running 19:42 at Javelina without James, he was crucial in my success of breaking 20-hours. This is a good time to mention that James finished Western States 2005 in the same exact time of 19:42. Over the 40 miles and Javelina, we learned how many freakish things we have in common. I've lost count. What exactly are they helping you with mentally?  Mentally staying fresh and focused. A pacer helps you push beyond and reminds you to eat and drink and keep your energy level and calories at a constant. Plus, it's a lot more fun to run with someone as talented, experienced and fun as James. He's been running Ultras 11 years and I am just a baby, I only have 4 years of experience running Ultras and 6 years of experience running period.

Do you want to consider other pacers and crew in the future or are these guys now your essential super heroes?
James is my super hero, without a doubt. Andy Kumeda was a fabulous crew. Andy always kept me in check and he was always so positive and motivating. I really looked forward to seeing Andy every 15-miles. He is so tough. I wanted to be tough like him.

Could you have done a 19:42 on your own?
Not without James. He has some tricks up his sleeve that we used the last 5 miles and he made a wish on a shooting star on the last full loop. The night was beyond magical. Did I mention the fireworks that James spotted off in a distance on loop #6? The entire 19 hours and 42 mintes was incredible, something I will never forget.

Feeling exactly the same that you did, what do you think your time might have been without a crew or pacer? I am confident my time would have been sub-22, but you never can really predict.

Could you have done a 19:42 with Gordy or any of your other running friends as your pacer? 
Possibly, but it would not have been the same. Gordy is awesome. And I thank God for Gordy everyday because I don't know what I would be doing with my life if it wasn't for Gordy and this wonderful sport of Ultrarunning.

Why keep pushing so hard once you know 1st place was totally yours? 
Because I wanted to try my best and prove to myself I could run a decent 100. I shared my goals at the dinner table the night before the race with James Bonnett, Gabor Kozinc, Michael Hayden (youngest finisher), Andy Kumeda (my crew), Leigh "Turbo" Corbin and George Valasco. They laughed when I mentioned sub-20. They didn't take me seriously and sometimes I don't take myself too seriously. I've learned to set high goals for myself.

Running through the night.

I cannot imagine just because it felt good???
It DID feel good, I didn't really have any low-points during the race. On loop #3 I ran out of water. Within 20 minutes I spotted my friends Leigh "Turbo" Corbin and George Velasco. George shared his ice-water with me. What a guy!!  I have felt worse during some 50-miles. James and I were having a party out there in the middle of the night. We were blasting up and down the rolling hills tearing up the trails, chatting amongst ourselves and with the other runners. The desert is so beautiful at night. We heard wildlife off in a distance. We wanted other runners to hop aboard our rock-n-roll running train.

How does it feel to know with 100% confidence that you are the healthiest Malewicki descendant in the past 2000 years?
I am proud and I can also predict that my daughter Sierra will be the next healthiest Malewicki descendent sooner than later. She is so smokin' fast, cute, perfect form with a natural fast stride!! I look forward to pacing Sierra someday at Western States.