MMT100 One More Sleep

That's it.  A single one mile run and now all I have is to drive to the start, bunk till 4 a.m. and then run 100+ mountainous mile. 

 

I'll start my day in this...

 

 

Spend the warmer hours in this...

 

And God willing, cross the finish line in this.

 

 

It's gone from this to...

 

This and now off I go.

 

 

 

My goal put simply is to finish but I think I nailed it when a runner friend asks some advice as he approaches his first 50 miler.

 



Shelly Cable Steve Modica First you'd want to see this site ( http://www.vhtrc.org/mmt/ ) for the MMT 100. Every 100 is different so the training for each and the race day are a widely different experience. For MMT I did as much training on the race course as possible to get used to the very technical terrain. My plan is what most any ultra runner's plan is on race day, to run every thing I can as efficiently as I can and hike like I mean it when I have to. There will be section that are too rocky, too steep or in the middle of the night too dark to be safely (for me) run so I will be making that judgment call as I progress over the course. The biggest factor in my finishing will be correct pacing and proper fueling. I won't "win" this race by a long stretch but if I can cross that finish line within the cutoff and have loved more moment than I have struggled; then I will have won!



Volcanos, Whales Tails and Sacrifice

Did you ever see one of those movies?  The ones with an island and a smoldering volcano?

 

 

The ones were they treat you really great, fatten you up and then throw you over the side to sacrifice you to their volcano god.  That's a little like my life this week.  I've been trying to treat my body extra nice.  No major running, just fun getting out with the kiddo.  As of today a pause in all my workout challenges so I can be rested and ready to...

 

jump into that volcano and destroy my body...slowly, painfully over 103.7 miles.

 

 

Well maybe exaggeration is another symptom of taper madness but you get the idea.  I'm attempting to rest so that I can feel really eager to go play in the woods on Saturday.  That is not as easy as it sounds.  I'm still working drop bags, meeting with our wonderful friends who are taking on our kids for two nights, trying to get all my normal chores done so that I won't have to worry about them after when I can't move, attending pto meetings, running kids to their activities and let's not forgot the time it takes to thoroughly stalk the weather.  Everyone has had to sacrifice a little bit.

 

 

There was a ray of sunshine in my day yesterday when I went to my mailbox.  A few friends have sent me notes to include in my drop bags but yesterday when the kids open the mailbox, they came running with a package.  And of course fought over who got to open it. 

 

 

Once the argument was settled, we opened it and found three notes for my drop bags and this.  This lovely whale's tail necklace to represent strength.  Erica at Life as a Running Mom had sent this wonderful little package.  She just celebrated her 500th running streak day and often credits me with encouraging her to start.  I would see things differently.  Erica is a near daily supporter and encourages me with her comments, messages, stories and photos.  Maybe we just share so many things in common; we are both streakers, running moms, madly in love with nature.  I don't know why but a friendship has grown despite the distance.  I just love her to pieces!  I know her life is a busy one with many roles to fill.  But still she sacrifices time to encourage me.  There it is again, sacrifice.  I think this whale's tail is the perfect thing to represent my journey to this 100.  It has been about strength but also sacrifice.  Not just my own sacrifice but my family and friend's too.  My pacer, Diane has been there for me through miles of hard training, my family gives up time with me and puts up with runner's moods quite frequently and my many friends who give up their time to encourage, support, educate, pray over and motivate me daily.  All these people sacrifice for me.  I will be thinking of Erica and her family this weekend as I will be thinking of everyone who has helped me get here.  And that is what will carry me through the miles. 

 

Thank you all for your sacrifice to be there for me!

 

T-3 sleeps and counting

 

Baggage

I used to lace my shoes, grab a visor and run out my front door.  Now I'm spending days planning, bagging, labeling pounds of supplies to be prepared for a run. 

 

Who have I become?

another awesome YMX top

 

There are only four more sleeps until race morning.  Wait.  Let's be honest.  I won't sleep much Friday night because I'll be sick to my stomach with nerves so there is really only 3 good nights of sleep and then one with a lot of tossing and turning.  Either way come 4 a.m. Saturday morning I'll be donning my headlamp, praying that we all make it to see that grassy finish line.  They really should make the finish line a big pile of rocks considering how rocky the course is.  Although after 103.7 miles I doubt I will be thinking that more rocks would be clever.

 

 

 early in the bagging process
 

This was a beginning of my drop bagging process.  There are 13 aid stations but only 10 with drop bags.  After I worked up a projected time frame for reaching each aid station, I marked up my bags to be placed inside each of my drop bags.  Each bag has a list of what is in it and a  list of what I should do or get at that station.  This way everything will be kept dry if we have any rain and I'll easily be able to come into the aid station and only grab what I want or need at the time and I won't be as likely to forget anything that I will need before the next station. 

It's brain scrambling to try and remember everything.  Like my first bag I'll need to remember that if I start with a long sleeve, arm warmers or a jacket, I'll need to drop it or change tops.  I'll need to pick up a visor, drop my headlamp, grab my fuel bag and "meds" bag and pick up sunglasses.  That means I later have to plan for warmer clothes once the sun goes down, put another headlamp in the correct bag, plan for another visor if I want to drop it over night...It's almost like packing for five races at once.  An early morning run, a heat of the day run, an overnight run, then another early morning run and another heat of the day run. 

Since I have loads to still do I will save a detailed How To for my next post.  Bbut feel free to remind me of things you think I should include or ask questions and I'll answer them in my next time.


If you have saved the link for live race day tracking you can get it HERE.
I am #35. 


 

Phobias, YMX, Rodents and of course MMT

It's a proverbial carrot dangling out there.  One day the forecast is mid 60s, the next in the 80s and today it reads, Partly sunny and very warm.  I'm not liking the one word, VERY.  However I know tomorrow it may again change and shift to something much more favorable for a thermophobic like me.

 

 Being a YMX Ambassador has it's perks.  Aside from being able to wear amazingly colorful, beautiful clothing while I run and having endless conversation starters with other runners, I also have perks like this:

Interested in seeing all these styles?  Click HERE.

 

This amazing delivery arrived yesterday!  So I did want any loyal YMX runner with a 100 miler a mere 8 days away would do... 

 

I tried out as many pieces at once as I could!  I will have a full review on everything after the 100.  What better test for gear than to be using it for potentially 36 hours straight?!  But after one run I can say I am in love with the skirt.  The only reason I even knew it was on was feeling it occasionally brush my leg as I ran.  And the racer back tank, well I kept getting stared at and I was sure that it was because I had walked out the door naked.  Okay it might have had something to do with all the color and patterns I was wearing at one time.  First impressions on these pieces is a big thumbs up.  Today I'll try something else to see what will make the race day cut.

My clay version of Ratatouille

 

Taper crazies are real.  It's the mental state you find yourself in while you are forced to reduce the time you spend each day working out.  We all know it's needed to finish the preparation before a race.  It's a fact that after months of hard effort those lighter days help up during our event, both physically and mentally but that doesn't mean we don't all struggle with how to fill that time without going a little batty.  Or in my case ratty.

 

 

Of course I am still running and working out - it's Happy day 1097
aka Happy Three Year Streak-aversary to me!
I did make cupcakes for the teachers at S'ghetti girls school but since I'm on a protein only eating plan for a while I doubt I'll be celebrating with one.  I'm saving my celebrations for after the 100.  No matter what happens I will have cause to celebrate.  3 years completed, another adventure had, many friends made and memories created are, alone, enough reason to celebrate. 

But before the party I'll be running that little race and you will probably want to follow along.  You will be able to use the Live Tracking HERE

I'm bib #35  You won't have to wait to see how things are going.  So get your party hats and tune in May 18th - 19th.  Blow up my Facebook page with encouragement or tell me to get my a## moving and tweet your cheers like crazy.  I'm been using the hashtag #mmtyouaresomine  and #MMT100 I'm @ShellyCable if you want to follow me. 

 

MMT 100 in T-minus 10, 1095 days and a Writing Assignment

I often joke about my home town math skills but this time I actually do not know how to add.  My streak-a-versary is quickly approaching.  My THREE year streak-a-versary. 
Feel free to send gifts. 

I favor anything running related in case you didn't notice. 

Clearly they didn't take into account ultra runner's preferences in creating this list!

Because I'm thinking something more alone the lines of a buckle.

 

 

Anyhoo. 

Like I said, 3 years has snuck up on me and now I don't know when to celebrate it.

 

Do I celebrate on the date as in May 10th? That would be the date that I started my running streak in 2010. 

 

OR

 

Do I celebrate on day 1096?  Because 2011 was a leap year. 
365 + 366 + 365 = 1096  There is that extra day.

 

 

If I stopped on May 10th I'd technically be a day short of completing my actual three years, right?
Wrong.  See it's those small town math skills.  I'd actually be over a day thanks to that leap year.

 

Of course I doubt anything but a 100 miler would cause me to even THINK about stopping.

you knew we'd get around to talking about MMT didn't you?

See 10 days out from a 100 miler and it's the big questions that you ponder.  Like when to celebrate your running-streak-a-versary.


And since I'm sure that you need projects to fill up your time as you wait nervously for me to start my 100 miler.  Thanks for the sympathy nervousness by the way.  Why not send me a letter, note, little card that I could add to my drop bags.  You can email me directly and I'll send you my address.  I would love to include your envelopes in my drop bags as things to look forward to seeing at each aid station.  You can pontificate on the inspiring ways I have helped you avoid all my mistakes or maybe write something funny or maybe a snapshot of you cheering me on.  No matter what it is, I'd love to have you all be a part of my little adventure in the woods.  

It's a Beautiful Day....

Today we will be talking about Lists, children.

 

It's like Mr. Rodger's neighborhood around here.

Same topic.  Different Day.

 

What do all our lists have in common today?

 

Why that's right, children!

 

Massanutten

 

You get a gold star!

 

 

 

Lists for...

 

 drop bags...

aid station cut offs...

clothes to wear...

weather reports...

paces...

food for between aid stations...

course sections...

and lists of music.

 

I know that is a new one around here. 

But boys and girls we all need to try new things from time to time.

And I need your help. 

 

What music gets you moving?

What is on your play list that you think would keep me moving after say;  12, 20, 32 hours?

 

Monday Mumblings

 

Yes.  I am still talking about the weather.  Stalking weather websites.  Blogging about the weather.  Photographing the weather.

 

All in an attempt to avoid thinking about the actual race.

 

 

 

In other news look what arrived today!  Some yummy goodies from the amazing multi-tasking Amanda at RunToTheFinish who recently moved and still made time to get her goodies from the Spring Booty Buster Challenge in the mail. 

Thanks Amanda!  I will be thinking of you during my 103.7 miles.

great!  now I'm thinking about the actual race.  I feel sick to my stomach.

 

 

Since I'm talking about every thing I might as well admit that I ran a bit more than "the plan" said I was supposed to.  But I also stuck with my squats, wall sits, planks and hand stands that I have been working on.  My wall sit and plank are both over 3 minutes now!  I'm completely excited about that.  It may seem like baby steps in cross training but for me it's like conquering a mountain. 

 

 

Have you heard about the Whole30?  Part of my distraction techniques has been to fully engross myself in this eating plan.  Which I will be starting the day after the race.  By that I mean Monday since I will not stop running until Sunday and then I might proceed to eat a small country's food supply and I will not care if dairy, grains, sugar or even alcohol is involved.  That is saying A LOT because I don't drink alcohol!

 

What do you say?  Anyone want to join me?