Happy Wednesday! Patricia here, and it’s truly my pleasure to welcome Ann Claire to Chicks on the Case. I love her post. As a writer and runner, it especially resonated with me. Whether you’re an aspiring author or a published author with millions of words under your fingers, I think you’ll find it inspiring, too. Welcome, Ann! Take it away!
Mid-pandemic, my husband confessed. He’d done something in secret, something shocking. He’d signed up for an ultramarathon.
An ultra is any run longer than a marathon. So, 27 miles? That would count, but he’d set his sights on a 100-mile trail race in Leadville, Colorado. Leadville sits at 10,152 feet. Breathing is a challenge.
Why, I kept thinking. Why sign up for something so grueling?
But, then, I write novels. The more I think about it, writing and long-distance running share some commonalities.
Step by step: Trite but true. You reach the finish one step—or word—at a time.
Start of the race. The 4:30 a.m. (why?!) start of the Leadville 100, with husband waving. A bit more action than a writer staring down a blank first page.
Deadlines matter: Ultraruns have time cutoffs throughout the course. At Leadville, a sweet, grandmotherly woman manages a critical nighttime cutoff. To get there, runners have gone over a mountain twice. A crowd cheers them on. If they’re a second late, that nice lady ends their race. Harsh! But wouldn’t she be a great mystery character?
Speaking of deadlines, I have one looming and a mountain of revisions. I’m giving myself ultrarunner pep talks, but “explore the pain cave” seems wrong for a cozy mystery.
Find your crew: As my husband’s crew, I pester him to eat, change socks, and pack a raincoat. This is more challenging than it sounds. After a certain distance, runners can turn into grumpy toddlers. Crewing also involves ages of waiting for intense bursts of do-it-all-now stress.
Ditto for writing. The big toddler emotions, the personal questioning, the time… Books can take years to publish. Mostly, this involves plodding at the keyboard and waiting. Until an urgent deadline appears. Say, an editorial note to rearrange the entire plot in two weeks over a major holiday when you’re hosting out-of-town guests.
Left: Crew waiting for a shuttle bus to the next aid station. Right: Carting around runner supplies.
Keep going! The first time he tried the race, my husband called me from a mountaintop. He was in pain and dropping out. Of course, I supported him. Then I called an ultrarunner friend. Her take? Call that man back and order him down the mountain! He’d lost cell reception. She was ready to drive across Colorado and yell at the peak. Later, my husband felt fine except for painful regret.
My takeaway for writers? Get multiple opinions. Maybe your query received a few (or hundreds) of rejections. Mine did. But you just need one agent to love your book. Hopefully, it’s someone who’ll yell at mountains for you.
Spectating in the rain. Far in the distance, Hope Pass, which the runners cross twice. Also, site of the infamous phone call.
It’s okay to DNF: It is! The best writers and runners have did-not-finishes on their records.
Try, try again: My first published book was my second attempt. For my husband, the third time was the charm. I was so happy for him—and utterly exhausted! I’m sure he feels the same about my writing.
You’ll do it again: After his grueling race, I pitched more reasonable distances. Nice fifties? Marathons in vacation destinations? He’s signed up for another hundred. I can’t talk. I’m fantasizing about post-deadline freedom from my laptop, but new plots are bouncing around my head. I just wish typing counted as cardio.
Bonus commonality? Runners claim that pickle juice shots can cure muscle cramps. Who wants to give this a try for writer’s block?
Dill pickle fountain and aid-station elegance, Gorge Waterfalls 50K, Oregon.
How about you? Do you have a passion you can’t give up?
Ann Claire is the author the Cyclist’s Guide Mysteries and the USA Today bestselling Christie Bookshop Mysteries. She has also written the Bookmobile Mysteries as Nora Page and the Santa Fe Café Mysteries as Ann Myers. Her latest book, A Cyclist’s Guide to Villains and Vines, came out in May. You can find Ann and her books online.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annclaireauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnClaireMysteries
Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author/ann-claire
Ann will give away a paper copy of one of her Cyclist Guide Mysteries to a winner chosen at random from the comments (U.S. addresses only, please).
Chicks on the Case 
Ann, thank you so much for visiting with us. I enjoyed your post. Running and writing are two of the passions I can’t give up even though I’ve tried. I love them even on the days they don’t seem to love me back. Ha!
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Thanks so much for inviting me to post, Patricia! I wish I could get hooked on running. In theory it looks so fun. Then I try…
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Thanks again, Patricia! Ha–I got tripped up by my own pen names. I think I’ve figured out how to reply 🙂
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LOL! I get tripped up by my pen names, too. Ha!
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LOL! I’m really more of a “wogger” than a runner. I look like I’m just walking really fast. Ha!
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I can’t give up reading.
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Dru, I’m with you. Giving up reading is a hard no.
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I agree, Dru! I could never give up reading!
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Congratulations to your Husband for running such a race. I love gardening, cooking and baking and taking photos. I love reading so that is one thing I will not stop. Deborah
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Oh, yes, I agree–baking, gardening, and especially photos and reading! Thanks for commenting! 🙂
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Welcome, Ann! I have a friend who does ultra running events. Me? I used to say I only ran when chased, but I don’t even do that any longer. Just take my stuff. LOL
I think writing is the only thing I haven’t given up doing after a while and I don’t see myself doing so.
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“Just take my stuff.” LOL! Liz, I understand. Ha! Too hilarious.
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Ha! Liz, yeah, I’d probably have to fall over and play dead instead of running.
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Oh, my gosh, Ann! Hilarious!
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I’m with you Liz…take my stuff and leave me alone.
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Exactly! LOL
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Ann, congratulations to your husband for deciding to run an ultramarathon. And I love how his running analogies can be applied to your writing.
I enjoy reading your various series: the Christie Bookshop mysteries, one you wrote as Nora Page, and I plan on reading your new Cyclist’s Guide mysteries.
Me, I can’t give up solo travel. I have been to over 60 countries on my own.
Maybe I like doing going on my own since I am an only child and my parents did not leave home. Like you, I also got my university degrees in geography. I was fascinated with many aspects of the physical world from a young age.
Are you and your husband avid cyclists? I would love to do a cycling tour in Europe!
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Grace, you’re so fascinating! I love that you’ve traveled to more than 60 countries on your own. Do you use a travel country or plan these trips yourself? Are you actively planning a cycling tour in Europe?
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Patricia, I do DIY trips on my own. Last one was to Singapore & Taiwan in April. I am currently planning my third trip to Iceland (in November) and a multi-week trip to Vietnam and Hong Kong during Lunar New Year celebrations & my milestone 60th birthday in February.
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Grace, wow! First, happy early birthday! Second, you are amazing. Thank you so much for sharing.
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You’re amazing, Grace! Happy travels!
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Grace, you are amazing. I don’t think I have it in me to do solo traveling. I can get to a destination on my own, but I need others to be there when I arrive. Kudos to you on solo traveling.
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DRU: I started solo travelling twice to Europe when i was 20 and 22 for several months in the 1980s & got hooked. I was also pretty carefree (& naive) as I travelled by train and bus and stayed in youth hostels on my own.
My 27-year career with the Canadian federal gov’t had me doing solo travel 95% of the time. And I had to book my own work trips so I got used to doing research on choosing economy flights & hotels etc.
It’s become second nature to me now. I know what I like/don’t like as an older more confident solo traveler!
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Wow! Grace! Bravo! I enjoy solo traveling too – my one and the only one solo trip is to London 21 years ago.. I went to Singapore in March! Love it! Love what you do, and do what you love! – Cheang
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Wow, Grace, that is an amazing and inspiring number of countries! I love that you travel solo too! I remember from previous chats that you’re a geographer. We also have the only child and non-traveling parents in common. That’s what got me hooked on travel and geography too. I have to confess that it’s my editor who inspired the cycling in this series, although it prompted me to reunite with my bike. My editor went on a cycling tour and thought that it would make a fun, rolling setting for a mystery. Her cycle tour guide (the wonderful Bill Reuther of Discovery Bike Tours, if anyone is looking for a tour) has helped me with amazing you-can’t-make-this-up tour tales. Thanks for commenting! I hope you enjoy the new series. 🙂
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Wow, we do have a lot in common then re: travel and geography! And thanks for the background about the inspiration behind your Cyclist’s Guide mysteries. I am glad your editor and her cycle tour guide have provided you with plenty of tales.
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Oh my, I can’t imagine running 100 miles around Leadville! Oh face it, I can’t imagine running 1 mile anywhere! I also cannot imagine giving up reading. It just might kill me! Best of luck in his next race and on your next book!
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I agree with you. Giving up reading would kill me. There’s a Twilight Zone episode like that, starring Burgess Meredith. I still haunts me.
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I remember that one!
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Oh, my gosh, Jen! Just thinking about it gives me a panic attack. (Happy place. Must think of my happy place.)
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Haha!
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Right?! And the pass they go over–I plodded to the top of Hope once and could barely move my legs. Airless up there. I agree about reading too. I could never give that up. Thanks for the best wishes! 🙂
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I also cannot give up reading
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Same for me! Thanks for commenting 🙂
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I’m with everyone who said they can’t give up reading! I also can’t give up needlepoint. And I did give up dancing for years because I couldn’t find the kind of classes I liked but now I’m back to it and I’d be heartbroken if I had to give it up.
Thanks so much for guesting, Anne! And congrats on the new series. I’m sorry I haven’t read it yet, but your covers are gorgeous!
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Thanks, Ellen! I love your needlepoint–don’t ever give that up! I thought I could give up pottery (because so many heavy pots weighing down the house) but I’m hooked on it again.
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Welcome to the Chicks, Ann, and thanks for this terrific post.
I’m a cyclist, but the idea of riding 100 miles in a day–much less RUNNING that distance–is daunting to me. But here’s to folks who push the limit and get things done!
And thank goodness for reading (and writing), something I can do all day long.
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Reading all day is part of my post-deadline summer fantasy. 🙂 Ha–I’m also going to watch the Tour de France from the air-conditioned comfort of my living room. I wish I had the ability/drive to do the extreme events.
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I’m a little (a lot?) obsessed with le Tour and watch pretty much every stage (on tape delay, since I’m in CA). Allez les gars–et les femmes, avec le TdF Femmes!
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Everything I do, I do passionately. Is there any other way?
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That’s a fabulous attitude, Tom! I need to remind myself of that as I’m finishing my draft.
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Thanks for being here, Ann! Hurrah on your series! 🚲
Definitely not a runner here; I did a 6k once (and only the once), mostly by walking and light jogging.
I definitely couldn’t give up reading–and drinking tea! 🙂
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And no thanks on the pickle juice!
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Thanks, Jennifer! Tea is a wonderful passion and so many flavors and varieties to explore. Yeah, the pickle juice… I like a pickle but that’s a bit much.
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Double nope from moi. I mean, no, no thank you. Just the thought makes my whole face scrunch.
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Love tea!
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Great post! I’m not a runner (much less a LONG DISTANCE runner!) but I appreciate you giving us the lessons without us having to go out and get all sweaty. 😊 And yes, the Leadville lady would make a GREAT character!
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Thanks, Marla! Yes, that lady would be a fabulous character. She’s so sweet and nice but then she’ll cut you and dash your dreams! I’m in awe of her.
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Hi Ann–great post! The passion I will never give up is reading! Reading your books is such a pleasure!! Keep up the good work.
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Hi Jane 🙂 Nope, we’ll never give up reading. And yay for audiobooks! xoxo
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Hello dear friend! So happy you’re visiting, Ann. ❤️ And what a great post…it’s especially fun to the see the pictures after hearing about this event. Sounds like a lot of work not only for the runners but also the crew members. That’s definitely my first dill-pickle-fountain sighting! Wow all around.
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Hi Cynthia! Ha, I swear, I was more exhausted than the runner after that race. Isn’t the fountain great? With a man in a tux, no less. xo
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I prefer the chocolate fountain.
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Definitely! Or cheese…
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Congratulations on your husband ultramarathon ans your writing milestone! It’s very inspirational! I always tell my students: “Don’t give up, keep trying!” ..So I’m trying not yo give up easily on whatever challenges that I need to take care of..
By the way hubby gets leg cramps a lot whenever he works around a lot, and he has tried to look for ways or stuff to relieve the pain to no avail..until he found the pickle juice!! He’s not giving up fighting with leg cramps!! If your hubby has some good remedies for leg cramps, please do let me know. TIA.. – Emily Cheang
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Thanks! Leg cramps are awful, aren’t they? I’m sorry your husband gets them too. Yay for pickle juice! It’s really been a game-changer for my husband’s running, along with salt/electrolyte tablets, which sound even worse than pickle juice to me, but he carries bunches of them now on long runs. When he starts to feel a cramp, he chews one and they really seem to help. He swears by potassium and bananas too.
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Ann, thanks so much for guesting on Chicks, today! Sorry I’m late to the party–but what a great post. Not a runner (heaven knows I used to try), but I once lived near the New York City Marathon route. I took my kids out to cheer the runners every year. Some of them ran in crazy costumes, like rubber elephant suits (in honor of a Save the Elephants group) or in masks of political figures. In Boston we have a Santa Run (in addition to that other one). I get a kick out of all the Santas hitting the pubs in costume after the race. I don’t believe any of them are exactly ultramarathoners, though. Congrats on your new book–it looks awesome!
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Thanks, Lisa! How fun to watch a major race like the NYC marathon. I’ve seen some extra-crazy runners do 100-milers in costume, like a guy who committed to a full Hulk Hogan wrestling costume. You have to wonder what drives that…
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I do have a passion for baking. I love trying new recipes. I confess that I have had my share of flops, but I have learned to just shake it off and keep going.
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That’s wonderful! I also love to bake, especially bread. I’ve had lots of flops. Thanks for commenting 🙂
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Way to go to both you and your husband! I’m neither a writer nor an athlete but there are plenty of UFO’s (unfinished fabric objects) around our house (I knit and machine sew).
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Ha! I love UFOs! I’ll have to tell my aunt who’s a quilter. I have a bunch of fabric that I keep thinking I’ll do something with it. Last I tried, I can’t thread my sewing machine without YouTube instruction.
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