Survived the Bulldog,..on to Twin Peaks

So, I survived the Bulldog.  I have much admiration for the people doing the 50K.  I did the 25K, which was hard enough, with 4000+ feet of elevation gain,..they had to do that TWICE.  Kudos to the crazies.  But what an amazing adventure.

 Actually trail running in itself is an adventure.  It's dirty, it's hot,or cold... there are no bathrooms...well, at least not very many..and there isn't an aid station every 1.5 miles.  It's not for the faint at heart.

Which leads me to my newest adventure...Twin Peaks.  Again, I'm not doing the hardest run, which is 50 miles...I'm only doing the 30k, about 18 miles.  I'm having my usual negative self talk....I can't do this, I'm not fast, I'm not strong...I NEED BATHROOMS!  I'm also worried about getting LOST.  I have this fear that one of these times I'm going to take the wrong trail and be so totally lost with no one around to help me find my way back.  Sure, I know there are lots of volunteers looking out for me.  There are rangers.  There are other runners.  But somehow that fear is still there, lurking.

I think that's what trail running is for me...conquering fears, pushing my limits, expanding boundaries.  I'll let you know how my latest boundary pushing goes.  In case you're looking to expand your horizons, go to this link and check it out:

ultrasignup.com

Gettin' dirty....and scared.

Well, I embark on a new adventure.  I have started doing trail runs, inspired by the many You Tube videos of runners seemingly having the highs and lows of their lives running 25, 50, 100, even 200 miles.

What attracts me to this?  I'm 52 years old, for crying out loud!  And, though I run a lot, I'm still not in great shape...certainly not in shape to do 25, 50, or 100 miles climbing hills, jumping over rocks, and tripping on tree roots!

What calls me, then?  Is it nature?  The outdoors?  The freedom?  Yeah, that last one may be it.  The freedom of getting away from the regimented, same old thing, same old life.  It may kill me, but I'm going to break my own mold.

This weekend I'm off to Malibu to run the Bulldog 25K.  This sounds like it just may be the one that kills me...I'll let you know.  Keep me in those prayers...or at least good thoughts.

New obsession

Well, I have a new obsession.  I have discovered ultra running, along with ultra running videos.  Even though so far the farthest I have gone is 26.2 miles, I have aspirations to run an ultramarathon.   What am I thinking?  Who do I think I am?  I'm an overweight almost 52-year-old who can barely run a marathon, let alone more than a marathon! ?

But I can dream, right?

I have watched so many videos.  These people are so inspiring.  Especially one in particular, Sally McRae.  

You can find her at sallymcrae.com.  She is also known as the "yellow runner".  There is something really pure about her and her running.

I may never run an ultramarathon.  But I have watched so many videos I feel like I have already run one.  These people are simply amazing, from the elite runners like Sally to the back of the packers.  In fact, the back of the packers are even more amazing.  Somehow with jobs, families, etc., they manage to train for 50K, 50 miles, 100 miles or more!  I can definitely relate more to them.

Anyway, I will keep on running, walking, and exploring my world.

BIG SUR!!!!

This marathon was by far my best accomplishment to date.  First, I had to get in by lottery.  Then I had to make sure I did this very difficult run in 6 hours.  To some people that might not seem like a big deal, but to me...


So I entered in July, hoping and praying I would get in...and by some miracle, I did.  Then the wait.  From August of 2015 to April of 20!6...the wait.  The preparation.  Every run I did I was comparing...was I doing enough hills, was I pushing myself enough.  I have big aspirations, but at 51 my body doesn't always share my enthusiasm.

So April finally arrived and our trip to Monterey...what a beautiful place.  Race day arrived and our boarding of the buses that took us to Big Sur at 4 in the morning.  Yes...4 a.m.  Yikes.  It was a beautiful day, but extremely WINDY.  Windy is a mild term.  This wind almost blew me off my feet.  My daughter did the race with me, she was my pacer, she kept me in line.  Not sure if I would have made those time points without her.  Every time I wanted to run, the wind kicked up.  It was like running with a band around my waist, holding me back.  I guess I should have included that in my workout.  Then there was hurricane point...a very appropriate name.  The views were amazing, worth all the pain!  Oh, and I made it in 6 hours.

Can't wait to do this one again!

In case you're interested...