In opposition to the backdrop of an more and more professionalized sport, there are nonetheless some ultra-trail athletes who’re managing to compete on the highest degree whereas additionally managing the calls for of a busy day job. One such athlete is coach, lawyer, and lifelong runner Nicole Bitter.
At age 41, Bitter is presently getting ready for her eighth Western States 100 begin, having certified with a Golden Ticket from Bandera 100k earlier this yr, which is a part of the Hoka Golden Ticket Races that doles out entries to prime finishers of the sequence’s races. I caught up along with her to unearth the secrets and techniques to longevity in working, and the best way to stability an elite degree working profession alongside a busy skilled profession and residential life.
Nicole and Zach Bitter with canine Stella and Minnie. All photographs courtesy of Nicole Bitter except in any other case famous.
Nicole Bitter grew up within the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, and first discovered her method into sport on the age of 5, within the type of determine skating. This was simply one among many energetic pursuits in her childhood and she or he mentioned, “My mother labored, so I feel simply as a method to be out of the home and doing issues we have been signed up for all types of sports activities camps. We did just about all the things underneath the solar — tennis classes, diving, swimming, soccer.”
Sport shortly turned a lifestyle for Bitter. In seventh grade, whereas wishing to hone in on a sport for center faculty, she tried out for the basketball group. However alongside the best way a gymnasium instructor noticed her aptitude for working and inspired her within the path of cross nation as a substitute.
She mentioned, “I did fairly effectively in seventh and eighth grade and the coach of the high-school varsity group was truly my math instructor in eighth grade, so he had me begin coaching with the high-school group in eighth grade. At that time, I used to be beginning to do exercises and issues. I competed all all through highschool in cross nation and ran the 1,600 meters and the three,200 meters in monitor. Then I went to Northwestern College [in Illinois] and ran cross county there.”
With years of aggressive working and coaching already underneath her belt, Bitter first found path working upon shifting to Texas after graduating, the place she attended legislation faculty at Baylor College.
She mentioned, “There was a bunch of good path techniques throughout the college … I’d seen one thing referred to as path working so I made a decision to test it out. I went out and did some path runs earlier than or after courses and I used to be hooked.”
Nicole Bitter racing within the mountains. Though she says her strengths lie in additional runnable ultras, Bitter relishes the chance to take to the hills.
Though working on trails turned a part of Bitter’s common coaching and leisure working, it wasn’t till she moved to Dallas, Texas, 5 years later and located a bunch to run with that her aggressive path working profession started. She mentioned, “There was a bunch referred to as the White Rock Co-op and there have been a couple of members of the group who have been doing ultramarathons, and I assumed, I might try this! So I signed up and did some native Texas races. That was again in 2012. I began out with an evening race, a 60-kilometer occasion. After that I began ramping up the gap and doing extra of the native Texas races.”
On the time Bitter didn’t have a coach — however already skilled in different disciplines of coaching and racing, she found out the nuances of path working as she went alongside.
She shortly climbed as much as the 100-mile distance, taking up the Rocky Racoon 100 Mile in 2013, the place she took first place and located a consolation zone in lengthy, runnable ultramarathons. She mentioned, “I didn’t actually have a variety of challenges. Possibly it was newbie’s luck, however I simply naturally was in a position to do the 100 miles. Particularly on that type of runnable terrain.”
Following on from her 100-mile debut, Bitter had a knee subject, which took a while to resolve, however mentioned: “After that race I discovered that I used to be in a position to get well fairly shortly. I feel being youthful undoubtedly made it simpler. As of late I don’t race as continuously as I used to. I in all probability was working at the very least 100 miles per week religiously, and likewise I feel it was simply build up after so a few years.”
Later the identical yr, Bitter headed to the Leadville 100 Mile, the place she positioned ninth, and mentioned: “I actually struggled at that race. I had come off one other harm sooner or later and I used to be doing effectively till the final 10 miles after which it was simply actually difficult. I feel it confirmed the excellence between doing a mountain race versus a flat race.”
With expertise, she has discovered the place her best strengths lie and mentioned: “I really like working extra mountainous races, however by way of the place I’m going to carry out higher, I undoubtedly have a neater time on the flatter, sooner stuff.”
The next yr, in February 2014, Bitter returned to Rocky Raccoon — profitable once more and taking greater than an hour off her earlier time. On her third try on the race in 2015, she once more gained — this time setting what was then the American path 100-mile file in a time of 14:22.
Nicole Bitter on her method to setting a then American 100-mile path file and profitable the 2015 Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile. Picture: USA Ultrarunning
Whereas persevering with to rack up wins, a second-place end on the 2015 Bandera 100k earned Bitter her place at her first Western States 100, the place she completed sixth — starting a terrific love affair with this iconic race.
Taking a daring step exterior of her consolation zone, in 2015 Bitter additionally headed to Chamonix, France, to finish UTMB — the top of mountain ultrarunning. She had a powerful run, ending thirteenth, and mentioned: “It was stunning, I felt like I used to be in ‘The Sound of Music!’ Simply working by the mountains and having that complete expertise, it was actually superior. That’s a type of races I’ll always remember … Actually, I used to be proud to simply full that race.”
This yr Bitter will return to the Western States 100, a race she has an extended historical past and affinity with, having raced it seven occasions — together with three top-10 finishes. When requested what it’s about this occasion that retains drawing her again, she mentioned: “I feel it’s the competitors, the problem, and the expertise. But in addition, persevering with to push myself and see what I can do. At 41 it will get just a little extra like, I can’t imagine I’m nonetheless doing this!”
Residing in Austin, Texas, and having all the time lived in sizzling locations, Bitter finds that she copes with the warmth on the Western States 100 higher than many. Concerning the distinction between working now as a grasp, versus in her youth, she says: “I do discover that I usually don’t run as a lot quantity, and I simply hearken to my physique.”
Nicole Bitter incomes her second sixth-place Western States 100 end. Picture: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Her quest to face on the beginning line at this yr’s Western States 100 started in October 2022, when she positioned third within the Javelina 100 Mile, narrowly lacking out on a Golden Ticket. Regardless of the close to miss, she mentioned, “I felt nice to do in addition to I did and have a superb efficiency. With that stacked of a subject, that was a win in my e book.”
Then in a weird accident, Bitter ended up having a second likelihood at a Golden Ticket within the winter of 2022/2023. She recounted, “I used to be speculated to do a race in South Africa, Extremely-Path Cape City, proper round Thanksgiving. And the day I received off the aircraft, I sprained my ankle and so I couldn’t do the race! It virtually felt like destiny. I used to be in a position to heal in a short time, I used to be match, and the Bandera 100k was in my yard. It appeared like a superb one to leap into.”
Bitter positioned second behind Courtney Dauwalter within the January 2023 Bandera 100k in a time of 10:03 — beating her earlier finest on the acquainted course, and incomes her ticket into the 2023 Western States 100.
Nicole being supported by husband, Zach, on the 2023 Bandera 100k.
As the game continues to professionalize, Bitter is now maybe within the minority of athletes competing at her degree to nonetheless have a busy day job — working full time as a lawyer. When requested about how she manages this difficult balancing act, she mentioned, “I feel the idea of stability is so exhausting. I’d say that I do my finest and deal with the duty at hand. I attempt to give my all after I’m working, and after I’m being a lawyer, and I attempt to do my finest after I’m teaching … There are undoubtedly occasions when I’m spending all of my vitality on my profession and that’s the highest precedence. However I do love having working in my life as a result of it offers me an opportunity to be off my work chair and to see the world.”
Bitter admits that there are tipping factors, saying: “I do discover that there are factors the place the work stress will get to be an excessive amount of. I do know in 2021 there was rather a lot occurring in my day job and it resulted in me being overwhelmed attending to the Western States 100. I didn’t even understand it till I began racing. It’s this tremendous line that you must stroll on. However on the finish of the day, I wouldn’t change it as a result of I’d quite have each elements to my life than simply attempt to do one at the next degree.”
Bitter is now coached by her husband — fellow elite runner, Zach Bitter — who is a superb help and helps her with balancing work and coaching. As of late the 2 function on totally different schedules and don’t all the time run collectively. Nicole does her runs early within the morning with the group she coaches, Group Rogue, whereas Zach heads out just a little later. So as to add to their busy family, the Bitters have not too long ago adopted a brand new four-legged coaching accomplice, Minnie, and together with their older canine, Stella, they usually head out for household runs and adventures.
Nicole says: “Minnie calls for getting out day by day and might be my number-one coaching accomplice within the household on the minute!” Just lately, the couple headed to the 2023 Hell Hills 50k, simply an hour from their house, the place they every took first place.
Subsequent up Bitter will head to the annual Western States 100 Memorial Weekend Coaching Runs, for a refresher on the course she is already so aware of. She mentioned “I’m going to exit early with Altra and do a coaching camp, after which keep for the broader Western States 100 coaching camp. It’s all the time enjoyable to run with all the opposite athletes.”
Bitter has discovered rather a lot from the highs and lows of earlier Western States 100 runs and mentioned: “I feel simply ensuring to remain iced off is important. It’s a tremendous stability to be sure you get sufficient fluids and salt.”
As she has demonstrated in her stellar performances this yr and final, Bitter’s years of collected coaching — and a pure means to run far — can greater than compensate for the opposite calls for life locations on her. We will’t wait to see her lace up on June 24.
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