Is your training ON FLEEK this summer?
Mine
has to be, and here's why:
A few weeks ago I decided that I would register for one of the epic ultra marathons on
my fitness bucket list, the
Javelina Jundred 100K. I know. CRAY.
I sat on the comfy bed at the Mountainview Best Western in the North Georgia Mountains, my finger hovering over the register button on Ultrasignup for about half a minute. I asked myself if I really wanted to take the leap from the 35 mountainous miles I had done at the
Georgia Jewel the previous year to the arid 100K (62 miles) at the end of October in Arizona.
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| Georgia Jewel 35, Snake Creek Gap Aid Station |
Would I be ready? Could I be ready? Would my body be able to carry me over 62 miles in the desert, running, walking, crawling?
Should I do it? Should I do it?
GO FOR IT! said my friend and ultra-partner in crime, Kelly.
I did this the evening before attempting
The Double Tap 50K that deep down I knew I would not complete. That race was especially difficult because of my bum knee and the mountains and the bears. What the heck was I doing registering for a 100K then? Who knows? The mysterious and totally unexplainable habits of ultrarunners...
The big question then is what am I doing to prepare for this momentous and possibly disastrous occasion that could potentially destroy my delicate ego?
- I am ODing on Beachbody videos: T25, PiYo, and Les Mills Combat are my favorites. Maybe I'll throw in a little P90X. (I also really dig the Biggest Loser and Crunch and Taebo and The Firm videos too.) DO ALL THE EXERCISE.
- I am trying to lose enough weight to make a significant difference in my finishing time
- I am loosely following Bryon Powell's Relentless Forward Progress 40-70 Mile Race Training Plan
- I am working on tweaking my nutrition to optimize all energy systems (both aerobic and anaerobic, but especially aerobic)...you know, that pesky adenosine triphosphate stuff...
- I am swimming
- I am hiking
- I am doing yoga
- I'm finding awesome and interesting ways to be active, ALL THE TIME (A note- it's not always easy to step out of your comfort zone, but DO IT! Life is short, death is forever.)
- I am SLEEPING
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| At my school's climbing tower doing something different |
As I was writing this blogpost I just got word that I got off of the
Finger Lakes 50s waitlist and I'll be participating in the 50K! And now I'm SUPER nervous because that's a lot of running, in such a short time. It's a lot of running and training period.
Take a look at the schedule below. All of this means that my training needs to be absolutely ON POINT this summer, because if not, it will be a veritable self-induced sufferfest.
Here are my current plans for the summer and early fall:
June 13:
Tortoise and Hare Midsummer Night's Dream Ultra 12 Hour
June 27:
Catamount 50K
July 4:
Finger Lakes 50K
August 15:
Wildcat Ridge Romp 50K
September: A 40-50 mile race, possibly the
Georgia Jewel 50--this race is GNARLY in all senses of the word and I'm scared.
October:
Javelina Jundred 100K I'm scared of this one too.
As scary and overwhelming as all of this is, I am REALLY excited to test the limits of what my body and mind can do together in athletic pursuit. Maybe I won't be able to do it all. Maybe I will. I
do know that I will know and respect my body more deeply while expressing my love for the outdoors through moving that body intentionally through nature.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
What is your training looking like this summer? What crazy events do you have planned to increase your fitness, indulge your desire to be outdoors, or just be badass? Join the conversation in the comments!
