Wondering....

 

Have you been

 wondering what I've been up to?!?!

 

 

 

Oh just running a little race called the Ring. 

71 bad a## miles of Massanutten ruggedness. 

Only 121 other people have ever finished it. 

 

And I did it all for a sticker...

 

 

and a pin.

 

Come back soon for the long version of events.

 

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.

The Letter

Many moments in life are challenging.  I often hear myself complain about silly things like socks on the floor or toothpaste on the counter.  But I know my life is a blessing and I have only rarely lived a truly challenging day.  I know those days have helped to make me a better human being so I count even them as blessings. 

 

 

This past week has been a difficult one.  I gave little things the power to begin to overwhelm me.  The approach of the school year became no longer an annual event but a catalytic phenomenon heralding the end of life as I know it.  So as I was going to return a movie, which I had used as an escape from my seemingly overwhelming life, I stopped by the mailbox.  On my way I practiced what I would say to the super secret spy when he discovered I had not talked to the new superintendent about LBM's school reassignment.  I practiced telling him how I was certain that if she talked with me instead of him, I would somehow ruin LBM's chance to go to the school we had been planning and preparing to go to.  But when I opened the mailbox I saw it had arrived.

 

 

The letter.

It was the response to my written application for the reassignment.  As I read those words, "...has been approved..."  honestly tears filled my eyes and I felt 20 pounds lighter.  I couldn't believe how emotionally invested I had become worrying about what another change might do to LBM and all the great progress we have made.  I couldn't be happier that we can continue as planned and will be able to be active and involved with LBM's school.

 

With only a handful of days to go before school starts, there's lots to do to be ready to this milestone and then, well and then I guess I'll be left with nothing to stop me from remembering that there are days, those few days that are really challenging.  Some of those days life has just given me and some of those days I have chosen.  And one of those days is right around the corner.

 

THE RING

August 31st

71.1 Miles of mountains fun.

A Hot Topic

Since deciding to sign up for The Ring, I've been running during the hottest part of the day.  Because I'm just that stupid. 

It seemed like a great idea when I first started but then the temps rose and didn't stop.  Yesterday was the hottest run I've done in ages.  90+ degrees with no air movement and little shade kept my miles in the single digits. 

The plan does seem to be working.  I'm not dying during my runs.  I'm only losing a pound or two on my hour runs which is quickly replaced.  Next week will bring a return to double days but the temps are to moderate a bit by then.

Until then I'll remember to carry water and a phone, put on sun screen and make sure someone knows where I'll be.  Then after my run a cool bath or swim in the pool and rehydrating are a MUST!

Speaking of Teeth...

If you popped by for yesterday's post, you know I was talking about teeth.  Dogs teeth.  And my desire to keep them off of my legs, arms, face, what have you.  Well, now I've got a new thing to worry about biting me and it's called

 

The Ring.

 

I just shouldn't be left alone.  While the super secret spy is off saving the world I decided to live vicariously through my running friends.  During the summer I usually don't race much since we try to fill our available time with family adventures and kid activities.  I usually feel really good about it since the family has supported me the other 3/4 of the year while I am training and racing.  But something happened last week and I found myself really missing serious trail running.  I was doping myself with little fixes of race reports and running club pages when it happened.  My MMT pacer, D commented about a great training run she had.  I asked her if she and signed up for the Ring which is a pretty big deal since she has another big race shortly after the Ring. 

 

One brief chat later and

 

Cannonball!

 

 

I'm in.

 

Go ahead and check it out.  The Ring has everything that challenges me, no race markings, rocky technical trails, 71 miles, limited support.  There are times when I wonder, "who do I think I am?"  And then there are days when I try and find out.  August 31st will be one of those kind of days. 

 

What have you jumped into lately?

 

 

Peaks and Valleys

Yesterday's One Word Wednesday was JOY.

Today I am feeling more JOY as I focus on some exciting things coming up.

Amanda at Run to the Finish is hosting another great challenge; the July Abs Challenge.  I hopeful that I can use this as part of a spring board to get my fitness routine back on track. 

Yes, I run everyday however running alone does not make a body fit enough to handle the challenges I want to handle.

Speaking of challenges one of the next ones penned in for the fall is the Megatransect.

Looks like a lot of fun, huh?

I only wish this event was sooner because I think it would have been great training for a race that I probably won't get to do this fall The Ring.  This event seems to be a bit of an ultra runner's cult kinds thing.  There are requirements for getting in.  I'm not sure that I will be able to meet those requirements by race day.  But the seed has planted it's self in my brain, that desire to risk pushing myself beyond is back and I am now filled with JOY again. 

JOY at the thought of risking failing by trying something I haven't yet done. 

Even if I have to beg a race director or two.