Do you recall a few years back when I decided get in shape for my first ultra via my couch to 50k plan? That was in 2010 and at the time I summed up my running status as couch potato. Fast forward to 2014, I've done far more running but took a bit of a break due to the whole kid thing. Sure, I ran though my pregnancy, but it looked more like a penguin waddling down the trail. Post baby I had big plans to get right back in the saddle. That didn't happen. I did do some random races in an effort to motivate, but I just wasn't into it. After the race I would go back to a state of very little to no running. Which brings me to where I am today...
Mid-winter I decided it was time to return to me. I picked a race that I've been wanting to do and entered the lottery. I figured if I got in it would be time to get my butt back in gear. With a fair amount of excitement and trepidation I put in for Cascade Crest 100 mile this August. And guess what? I got in! Cue the queasy stomach. This will be my first hundred, it has ~22,000' of ascent and I am literally starting from ground zero in terms of my fitness. I found out I won the lottery six weeks ago, six weeks ago I started running again.
My first real test is coming in two weeks, I plan to run the Capitol Peak 50 mile. I'm not convinced this is a good idea, but I feel like I need to at least try. All that has been running through my head is "in what world can you go from no running to 50 miles in 8 weeks without killing yourself". I've tried to push that little voice aside and have progressed with my running. As a matter of fact I ran 20 miles yesterday and felt fine afterward and today. Assuming you ignore the cut arms and bruised knee from my very graceful tumble. Not really sure what I did, must of caught a root. Landing in a briar bush is not advised.
After Capitol Peak my training will start in earnest. I feel the outcome of this race will give me a good baseline to judge how I need to prepare moving forward. I'm not going to lie, I am a bit, okay, very nervous about this race. I am trying to view it as a good opportunity to work on my mental game.
