Running on Fumes in the Heat

As the 4th of July weekend approached us I was getting the itch to race so I found a 5k to run on Saturday in Williamsburg and a 10k to run on Monday in Sigourney. Since I have not been able to run a couple of my ultra-marathons that I wanted to, I decided to begin working on speed in hopes of setting some PR's and build up to a what will (hopefully) be a phenomenal 50 miler this fall in Chicago.

I was able to wake up in the muggy early morning Iowa summer and set one foot in front of the other faster than I have done before. Each race had its own twist, one with so many turns I had to go fast to keep up for fear of getting lost and the other with several little hills and one long gradual incline. I approached the 5k with the mindset of keeping good form and pushing it all the way to the end, especially because it is much shorter than my usually race. Long behold- I surprised the hell out of myself and finish 10^th overall and 5^th in my age group.

After a great 5k and a PR I was a little hesitant on how well I would do at my 10k. I knew that I had consumed a few too many adult beverages the night before while in good company and that the weather was going to be a bit humid at the start of this race. I drove to Sigourney in the a.m. and though that I was just gonna log 6+ miles, but yet again I surprised the hell out of myself. It was a looped course & it started with the 5k and 10k runners at the same time, no big deal you think, until you are about to run another 5k PR because your following the leaders & you still have another 5k to go! Needless to say, when the 5k runners stopped and the rest continued I found myself among one other runner! As I cut tight to curbs and around cars; we were rapidly approaching another racer. Not knowing who the leader was I continued to push hard. The weekend festivities began to hit me with 1.5 miles to go and I knew that the rest of the race was up to my head because the tank was empty and I was on fumes. I was able to pull off 4^th place overall and 2^nd in my age group. Although my competition throughout the weekend was not as tough as it could have been I was able to hang on to the lead groups in both races and let them help pull me to the finish line. I am loving running faster and will carry this speed-work to the next level. I am shooting for a sub-7hr 50 miler in October! (An intense goal I know, but why not go for it!)

"Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're probably right."
-Henry Ford

Optimistically Failing… Moving On…

A quick recap of my most recent events… I ran 50 miles down in California, meaning that yet again I did not reach my goal of 100 miles. I know that in my heart, head, and legs that I can and will run 100 miles and much more in my future, but nutrition has been my largest opponent. Once you are not able to get food/fuel into your body, it of course does not want to move any more. The conditions were right, but I was unable to deliver. I had an amazing support crew (Megan Gayman), beautiful weather, and legs that were willing to travel the distance. I just didn’t have the next most important thing figured out, and that was/is maintaining nutrition levels. I will continue to read, research, try, and train, using multiple methods and fuels to supply my body until I figure it out. I am determined to reach my personal goals and become a successful ultra-marathoner.

The weekend following my 100 mile flop, I ran a fairly successful 20k @ Dam to Dam in Des Moines with the Miles for Muscles Team. It was a blast being a part of such a large group of runners (16 on our team I believe and 8000 others) who came together to raise $ and run for a great cause! I truly enjoyed trying a little speed work the day after a few drinks with the team at dinner. I get inspired to keep placing one foot in front of the other after such an event of this magnitude. Those running with speed, others with determination to reach a goal, and even more just running with their hearts and love for the sport. Thank you Miles for Muscles for letting me take part in this event with you!

Where I am heading from here… I am taking off for Wisconsin this weekend to run a 200 mile relay race from Madison to Chicago with another group of runners (which I know only 2 members personally). It should be a great weekend to run through two states and witness again how a group pulls together to complete a challenging task! After this race I take a few weekends off before I enter my 1^st true sprint triathlon that will lead to a couple others. Please follow along with me on my personal journey to push my body, mind, and spirit to new heights!

Side note~ I usually update my training schedule weekly, so if you see a run, swim, bike, or race you would like to join me on just leave a comment, call, or message me!

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine