Training

Well, now that Run the Rock is over and recovery is coming along nicely, it's time to come to grips with what's ahead. Yes, there's that little 100 mile race  I signed up for... but before that, I also signed myself up to run (er, hike) the 21 mile Wapack Range next weekend and torture myself on the trails of Bear Brook in July for the Bear Brook Marathon (which is longer than a marathon but who knows how much until the race is done). Sometimes, I really don't know what I was thinking ;)

My plan for this year was to run different races in an attempt to keep things fresh and not get into the cycle of comparing my current self to the self of years past in races I've done previously. Run the Rock was a fun "start" to the year, running a race in a place I'd never once run or visited. And the same can be said for Wapack and Bear Brook. I suppose you could say I didn't stick to my plan when I signed up for TARC given that I ran the 50 there last year, but to me, the 100 is just such a different animal and bound to be such a different experience that having run 2 loops on the (very similar) course last year doesn't even really count :)

I've got my training plan for the upcoming months laid out and posted the fridge. It's the Danielle spin on one of Bryon Powell's training plans from Relentless Forward Progress. I really liked the idea behind his plans - the high-end mileage seems doable, there aren't a ton of big back to backs and those that are built in aren't that overwhelming 30 mile-20 mile back to back for 3 weeks in a row that I found in a lot of other 100-miler training plans. For me, it's all about having something that seems doable. I didn't want to pick a plan that I knew I wasn't going to be able to complete. I'll be testing myself with this plan - I've never been much of a high-mileage gal, so this is an experiment - but it seems within the realm of reason that I can actually hit the mileage and long run goals without becoming completely running-centric. The 100 is a big thing for sure and I plan to train like I mean it, but I also want to have balance and not have my training overtake our lives entirely. There still needs to be time for Ryan to run and for us to have some weekend camping trips, visits with family and vacation, oh and that little thing called work. Ha!

As I think about the upcoming months, I keep thinking about this article that I read recently: The Three (and a Half) Types of Fun Explained. The article is perhaps a bit ski-focused, but the overall idea jives with what I've felt all along. This crazy ultrarunning thing we do isn't what most normal people call "fun." But apparently I'm a sucker for Type II fun :) AT hiking, ultrarunning, you know, things that suck at many points along the way but are just plain awesome all at the same (or at least when you are done :) ). This grand adventure of training for and running the 100 isn't a mainstream venture, even if among our group of friends it's a normal happening. But there is something compelling about it, and even if it sucks, I know I'll have a good story to tell when it's done! So, bring on the training!

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Got out this morning for another run on the cart paths. Not quite as snappy as on Wednesday with John though ;) Still chilly this morning - I have yet to wear shorts to run around here. Seriously, it has to be above 45 degrees for that! Saw two turkeys crossing the cart path on hole #1, saw/heard a woodpecker (likely downy) fly over, and saw a few red-winged blackbirds in the marshy areas. No wildflowers yet though, and no peepers peeping in the Heath either. We need a bit more warmth, I guess, but hopefully that is coming!