A look behind to see ahead

 

As a trail runner one thing you quickly learn is to not look back.  Looking behind almost always causes you to stumble and fall.  Then you lose momentum and, at times, have trouble starting back up again.  But there are times when it's safe and even beneficial to look back and take in the path you have already traveled.

 

 

 

As I was running this morning I was in a nostalgic frame of mind because today is my firstborns  birthday.  It was difficult to reduce to a few words what I wanted to say to him.  Those words were something like the first words he and I shared together, private.  Because I'm old fashioned like that.  But the walk down memory lane got me thinking about where I've been in different aspects of my life.  Of course, running was one of them.   

 

With that it's time for a numbers update: 2095.4 miles for the year. Day 1195 of the streak. 10,497.6 streak miles.

 

Now that I've looked back it's time to look forward.  Often I remind the biggest of my littles that he needs to remember where he has been but have a plan for the direction he wants to move forward in.  The same is true for me.  Let's see where I'm going in the days ahead.

 

In 15 days I will be running The Ring.  This is 71 miles on the Massanutten trail.  The reason I am running it three fold.  1.  I need to get past a mileage barrier I feel I have created for myself.  2. It will be the first on many runs to prepare myself for another MMT 100.  3.  The Massanutten trails are calling me back.

 

In 42 days I will be running the Mega.  The Mega is about a 27ish mile climb in PA.  It is a course like no other I've ever been on.  It offers an element - boulder climbing - that I don't get anywhere else. 
 

 

In 71 days I'll be back again for FOTM.  That's the 50k in MD that has an unexpectedly challenging course.  It's low key, real ultra trail running feel always makes me feel like a bada## when I finish it.  Plus this race was one of the first races I really found trail running peace during.  I go back year after year to find it again.

 

 

In 91 days I'll be back again for the Stone Mill 50 miler.  This could be the year that Lesley at Racing It Off joins me for some very supported fun.  Although with those long legs of hers and her killer racing lately she may been at the finish before me.  If she is she'd better get some great finish line photos of me. 

 

Sprinkled in between these dates are a hand full of training runs for different races and of course my daily running streak continues.  So it's a trail without end.  It's a race without a victory.  There will be no finisher's medal or golden buckle for reaching an end point.  I have not ultimate destination.  The trails just continues and as long as I keep feeling that pull to see what is around the next bend or over that hill, I will continue to run forward.  No matter the pace I will continue to see what draws me to those place that are just beyond where my eyes can see.

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.  

Numbers, Chocolate and Scary Movie Overload

Today is streak day 1055.  I've ran 9255.9 miles. 

That's an average of 8.8 miles a day.  61.4 a week.

 

I'm tired.

 

But the only thing that makes me feel less tire is more running. 

 

 

Today also marks 50 days before Massanutten.  You might remember that's a little 100 miler that I tried to get into last year.  You know that year that I was in great shape and set a bunch of new PRs.  Yeah, that year.  I didn't get in.  But luckily [insert sarcasm] not getting in almost guaranteed that I'd get in this year.  The year of big changes.  The year of over training.  The year of a loss of fitness.

 

50 days



 

Let's just set that aside for a moment. 

 

Because I only have ONE day before my next training run.

 

The chocolate bunny

 

I wish a little bit more of this

 

 was involved and a whole lot less of

this.....

 

CB won't actually be so bad, it's only 26.6 miles after all.

[insert ultra humor]

 

 BUT it all happens at night. 

 

I'm hoping it seems something like this...

 

 

 

But in reality it might go down more like this...

 

The only thing missing is the vampire that is chasing me.  Come to think of it that might actually get me to run faster but I doubt I'd have much luck staying on course. 

 

Okay it's clearly a no for the vampire part. 

 

I don't want to miss celebrating Easter.  The family will all be home warm in their beds dreaming sweet dreams while I am racing around the dark, cold wilderness trying to forget how I just watched

 

 

Breaking Dawn Part II.

 

 

Calories, Calories, Calories

 

My weekend can be summed up just like that.

 

Calories, Calories, Calories.

Luckily for me it included a healthy balance of both versions of calories. 

The ones I ate and the ones I burned. 

With company at the house I put Pinterest to actual use.  So I made these: 

 

 

Caramel filled apples 

and then ran 10 miles.

 

The next day I ran 8 miles in the morning and then made these

 

Pumpkin Chai cookies

 

I could hardly get them baked before hungry fingers were snatching them off the cooling rack. 

 

The house also needed attention this weekend after so many weekends away.  Although house cleaning has never been one of my favorite tasks it was nice to be at home and not have to drive some where.  Plus the house was squeaky clean for about 5 minutes. 

 

Today S'ghetti girl is off school which meant I got to put in 11 miles already today.  I think I've earned a cookie or two which I plan to smuggle into our afternoon movie.

 

 

The super secret spy is off at work this week so it will be a week of TM and jogging stroller runs as I get closer to Stone Mill 50 miler.  Well, I'm still working on getting the logistical issues with the kiddos worked out.  Part of the challenges of not having a support system.  But at least focusing on that issue will help keep me from stressing over needing to run 50 miles.

900, Story Time and Being a BAMR

 

 

 It would be cool if 900 days made me look half this fit!

 

Today is my 900th day of streak running, our first day at story time and the day I am being featured at Another Mother Runner in their Follow this Mother series.  So it's been a good day so far.

 

I started my day with trying to get my morning miles in but LBM (Little Bug Man) decided that today he didn't think I should get too much time this morning so I only squeaked in 2 miles before he said, "MOMMY! I want you be done."  I was able to happily stop since those early morning runs are just a bonus when LBM sleeps a bit longer and the super secret spy says he will be home on time today so I can get outside without jogging stroller.  All that made stopping before I even got warmed up pretty painless.  Plus we had story time at the library to look forward to today.

 

LBM enjoyed the three book stories and then a flannel board story.  We enjoyed craft time and completely over used the glue.

Does everyone else had ladybugs taking over their house?

 

As if anyone could have missed it today but there could be those who did, guess who is the featured mother runner on Sarah and Dimity's post today?  You know the blog by none other than the authors of Run Like a Mother and Train like a Mother. 

It's me!

Oh yeah, I told you that already.  But in case you missed it, go check it out

at Another Mother Runner.

I'll be running giddy on the thought of being featured while I get in my evening run tonight.  Those thoughts will sure beat the ones that keep trying to sneak in and cause worry about this Sunday's race.

 

My Cup Runth Over

Yesterday I was talking about my glass being half full...or empty.  Sometimes it just depends on the day or the hour of the day but that was the topic.  So it was a thrill to find out that I...little ole me, is going to be featured on Another Mother Runner in their Follow this Mother post.

 

How ironic is it that of all days they will be featuring me on my 900th running streak day. 

So hop over there and check me out tomorrow!

Just when I was feeling a little down about my conditioning for this Sunday's 50k at Fire on the Mountain I finally get outside in the woods to reconnect with those "at home" feelings.

 

 

And I get a wonderful email saying that I will be featured on a blog by the authors behind Run Like a Mother and Train Like a Mother.  How amazing is that?!  I'm beginning to think that Sunday might just be a great running day for me after all.  With all this positive energy dare I say that that master's title might be mine again. 

 

 

Whether or not a title is won come this Sunday I am just giddy to know that a little bit of this obsession crazy love interest I have is helping others know that they can do what they never dared to try before.  Because all those years ago who would have ever thought that this middle Smith girl would ever be able to say, "oh yeah, ultra trail races.  I run those."

 

Please Get Me Outta the Kitchen

The weekend is a wonderful series of days. The ability to wake up whenever I want, to allow the kids to sleep in and to enjoy a breakfast together without anyone having to rush out the door. 

 

On the surface doesn't it all sound so nice?  Yeah.  Fairy tales always do.  Because once you spoil your family with the "Big Breakfast" it's like that book, If you give a pig a pancake or  If you give a mouse a cookie because I think I was guilty of doing both this weekend.

 

 

Don't expect to see me posting about weight loss anytime soon

 

After our I'll-never-lose-this-extra-weight breakfast, I made the mistake of trying this recipe from Pinterest.  I mean I'm on there pinning away I probably should do some of the things I thing look soooo interesting, right?  But that just started the ball rolling and set my family's expectations for the rest of the weekend's menu.

 

 A spicy lasagna soup

 

Who knew making sushi rice was such a pain

 

Needless to say there was a bit a running to help work off some of our over indulgences, followed by an ice bath to soothe my tired legs.  Hopefully my family has had their fill of all the extras just like that little pig because my belly is starting to look a little bit like a piggy's.  Maybe I need to start pinning a few more workouts next time I am on Pinterest.

 

Day 861 ~ 7300.7 miles

6000 Miles ~ Believe

About the time this posts, I will be running the 20th Bull Run Run 50 miler, the good God willing as they say.  I feel so blessed to have found my way into ultra trail running.  It is while I am on those trails pushing past discomfort, moving beyond obstacles that I find the person I feel I am meant to be. 

As my legs grow weary, my mind grows closer to a clarity that it rarely finds.  As I run there is a clearing of the clutter that often finds it's way into my thoughts.  My hearing improves so that I can focus on that wee small voice that often whispers to get my attention.

This morning I will set out on another journey, frankly to no where.  I will end up exactly where I started.  In reality having gained no ground except for the kind of ground that can be gained only when we do something greater than what most find possible.  Beyond what we had thought possible.

This morning as I cross about the 35th mile of this 50 mile journey, I will give thanks for the 6000 miles that came before it.  The 6000 miles since I started believing that I could do this amazing thing every single day and knowing that it was a gift to do it.

Just start today and imagine who you will be tomorrow.

Believe.

An Addict

It probably comes as little surprise to my regular readers when I tell you that I have a slightly addictive personality.  It's a handy thing to have when it comes to many aspects in life.  I am extremely committed.  Give me a project and I'll see it through.  Crash a plane and I'm the one to hike out for help. 

In my running life this addictive tendency has helped in my deepening love of running long.  I can also credit my 640 days of running to that dedicated side of myself. 

So knowing how I can easily get a little to into things I should have heeded the comments about

pinterest

but I didn't.  I started to pin.  And now I think I am addicted to pinterest too.

I just need to figure out how to make it through the day without sleeping because I am quickly running out of hours to accommodate all my passions.

An unexpected ring

Yesterday was day # 599.

Since I am taking some time off from the Big Girl job the kids and I are in VA while the poor super secret spy has to work.  Well, he had to work today. 

I had big plans for the run today.  The plan was to run a long loop with LBM in the jogger to start pushing my upper body strength a bit.  Then follow that run with a round of Insanity while the kiddos all played and frequently checked on me to make sure I didn't pass out.

I still got out for a run. I still challenged myself during that run.  It just wasn't the "big deal" I had wanted it to be.  And forget doing anything after.  LBM was having no part of being away from me to play or nap. 

So we baked brownies side by side in the kitchen in my running clothes.  S'ghetti girl had a friend over and everyone loved the unexpected treat.  It got me thinking about how I had wanted to make a big deal out of the approaching Day #600 tomorrow.  Joining the Charlottesville Area Trail Runners for a long trail run or run a memorable number of miles or start a serious cross training program to mark the day.  I thought about all those things.  But I will probably be the only person who notes the day to mean anything to me and my running. 

After not clicking publish yesterday on the half written post above.  I stand corrected thanks to the unexpected ringing of my phone today.  I had just gotten back from a 8 and 1/2ish run which was much more challenging than I would have liked such a distance to be.  I was feeling a little defeated and little down about my running, my fitness about what I am trying to do with sharing my silly little running life until that phone call.

The unexpected sharing of a friend's acknowledgement of my day 600 and a reaffirming that I might actually be reaching someone, anyone who happens upon my blog was just the pat on the back I needed.  It never ceases to amaze me that my friend might have thought he was thanking me for helping him get back to running and start his own running streak but his unexpected kind words ended up helping me.   

Thanks to my friend and to everyone who supported and encouraged and followed me down this rabbit hole of running, streaking and ultra running.  No matter how far down you have gone with me, thanks for believing in me and more importantly believing in yourself that you can do these crazy things too!

Who's up for day #601 tomorrow?  I know I am!
How do you plan to use your LAST day of 2011?

I give you permission

Recently I had the opportunity to be part of a study aimed at finding out why women do Ultras and the challenges them face. 
 I have Barefoot Angie Bee to thank for being able to take part in the study. 

The interview lasted about an hour.  I was asked a bit about myself and how I got into running.  To be honest I felt a bit like who was I to be giving my two cents until the interviewer asked me how many ultras I have done in the past two years and I said about 10.  When she responded with "Wow!" I realized I was doing it again.  I was doing what many people do.  I was down playing what I have accomplished because I keep comparing it to what others have done. 

Our conversation continued and I hope that what I was able to offer through my experiences will help in some way.  But as many conversations hindsight is always slightly more clear.  Her final question was,

If I could say something to encourage a woman who was contemplating running her first ultra, what would I say?
Although I had talked about this challenge earlier in my interview, I wish I had answered that final question more simply with this:
I give you permission.

Why would I need to given anyone other than my own children permission to do anything?  Well, I shouldn't but that's often the problem.  Many women feel that they don't have permission to use the time in their days for themselves.  Women feel that family comes first. 

 
People paint it on signs and hang it in their homes.
Not that family is anything other than a top priority but women often forget that we need feed our own needs to be able to meet the needs of those we love.

I no longer feel guilty about taking a few weekends a year to enjoy races and I don't feel guilty about the time I spend running to be prepared for those races.  Having given that small percentage of my day to myself, I know that I am made a better person for everyone in my life.

I gave myself permission.
And in doing so I gave my family a much better version of me.


What finally made you give yourself permission?
What would you say to someone who is just starting out and feeling guilty?
Considering an Ultra?  What do you feel is your biggest hurtle?  How can I help you overcome it?