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. 

 

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?