Thursday, March 20, 2014

Eeek! Last minute thoughts, questions and other ponderings

So for the first time since March of 2012, I will attempt to run a 100 miler. I can say my stomach in in knots and my head is all over the place. Its been a busy few months!!

Positives:  1. An ambassadorship from my favorite clothing company INKnBURN This was the best birthday gift I received-awesome clothes to race in from a brand that I have the utmost respect for and is made here in the USA!!  They truly put passion into what they make and I feel honored to have been selected out of the hundreds of applicants.

2. Moving in with Chad to start a new life in Boone. Not to mention the trail and mountain running up there are killer- he opened his life to Daisey and I so that we could be a part of it.  Feeling love and support from someone has been so amazing. (thanks babe)

I feel incredibly blessed to have had both of these happen and a girl couldn't ask for more. My friends and family have been incredibly supportive and I am grateful beyond words.

Setbacks: Since my fantastic race at Weymouth I have been struggling with an unhappy left knee. I have tried to put focus into taking care of it; but working, training and moving 2 hours away has posed a challenge.These past weeks I have done close to zero mileage to hopefully allow it the time it needs to heal.

Conclusions: I will say I feel severely undertrained to take on the mileage but all I can ask for is what Coach Marshall said all those years ago: "Give 100% of what you have today- whatever that is- and I will be happy with it" So Saturday, at Fort Mill State Park I will do whatever my 100% is. This being the first race of the Pinhoti Slam Series, I need to finish it in order to continue. I am hoping to be able to complete all 5 of the 20ish mile loops with relative success. Those of you close to me know that I put an immense (and sometimes unnecessary) amount of pressure on myself- but that's just who I am- a competitive spirit...but 100 miles is an awfully long and humbling way. I don't want to focus on the "racing" but more on the "finishing" one step at a time, mile by mile.

Side note: The knee seems to be angry because apparently my chain on movement is incorrect- i.e. my glutes aren't firing when they need to. Nothing that can't be fixed with a little booty squeezing exercises and retraining the motor pathways. But I just find it funny that I am a literally a "lazy ass" (giggle)