Ultra Thoughts

I was filling out my ultra application the other day and was jubilant to realize that as a 40+ runner...I can enter the Masters category!!! I have been waiting for this moment for years! Between my poorly dyed gray hair (long story) and my advanced age in this race, I fully expect to be rocking sponsorship logos on my race top from Metamucil, MedAlert and Depends. No shame in my game if it pays for supper, folks...

Just kidding (though not about the Masters category). But it did make me Google my last stats for this race:

Year: 2012
Age: 37
Time: 6:37
Place: 19 out of 42
Weight: -8 lbs. from today, give or take

I was fairly pleased with my performance based on my training plan, and I'm hoping that next year, despite my advanced age, I'll still feel good about my performance. Between the slightly harder training plan (I've added speed work, a weekly gym visit and I think a day of running per week from last year) and my healthier, vegetarian diet, I'm hoping I can counter the downside of aging. And if my blood pressure from yesterday's doctor visits (I had a wellness check up and a chiropractic visit) is any indication, I should have very few excuses:

I think my blood pressure has been fairly consistent over the last ten years...which is to say, pretty low (it's the running). And this is after only a week and a half of ultra training, I expect it will improve as time passes.

Yesterday's midweek run was a 6-miler, which felt both good and difficult. I felt labored/heavy (because I'm def up a few pounds) and out of breath (I don't often run 9:45-10:00 min miles these days, as most of my runs are social and slow), but I also felt motivated to crank it out since I was jacked on caffeine and I'm trying to adopt a different mindset. Rather than think "I'm a slightly chubby, slow runner" I'm trying to think and behave more like an ultra runner. It's made a tremendous impact so far- my diet is cleaner (though still far from great), I'm down a few pounds, and I'm running more than my plan calls for (exceeding the minimum is not a usual practice of mine). I have no idea how long this will last, but I'm just going to soak up the personal satisfaction and self congratulations while it lasts! ;-D

I also created a ever so slightly more challenging route for myself that included three mild hills in each direction. I figure that even though all the hills combined maybe only totaled .75 miles, it's still a start. Like the pain of childbirth, I have conveniently forgotten about the gradual 4500 foot elevation climb of the race, but I know I need to do a lot more hill preparation on this go-round. I'm if nothing else, a teensy bit wiser having done this race once. What really helps is that I have a few more running buddies this time...the first time I only had Karen for my long runs, but this time I have Yuri, Ragni and Vicky to help me get through the many hot miles of hills, speed work and long runs.

I'm still so nervous that I'll get injured ('post-traumatic Achilles stress disorder' from the nearly 2 years of having it), that I'm too scared to set goals. But in my heart, here are the goals:

First 13.1 miles-     2:30 (a very slow half marathon, but with those hills, realistic)
Second 13.1 miles- 3:15 (there will be walking on the Alps I'll hit in this timeframe)
Last 5 miles-          75-80 min. (slow, but you know...sore tootsies at this point)
Total- About 6:45? (anything under 7 I really shouldn't complain about)

The last time was ideal, in that I don't recall needing to use the bathroom...but this time I can guarantee it'll happen a few times. Bladders, like ladies, age.

I'm midweek #2 in training...so far, so good. :-) I'm feeling excited and hopeful.