Hahah I have to laugh at how I’m going into Sunday’s race.
Am I ready? Definitely not.
Am I still going to start and listen to my body and see what happens? Absolutely.
I doubt that many people would feel comfortable going into a 50K and feeling under trained (or maybe we always feel like we could’ve trained more?), and I highly doubt that many people, other than the ultra community we know, would go into a 50K, just for fun, just to see what happens.
So, yes, I’m fully aware that for the most part, to most people, I sound like a crazy person saying “yes my foot is f*cked, yes my training has been sub-par at best, no I’m not going to SKIP this race, I’m just going to start and see what happens.” Fully understand where you’re coming from. I guess my brain just thinks differently now.
I remember about 5 years ago, we were on a horseback trip in Jasper, and seeing people run along a trail, and being told you could run or hike from hut to hut, or some people would come and run the whole thing straight. We were like uhhhh WHAT?! And labelled that as crazy. Why would people do that?
And yet, 5 years later, that’s who I am. Who would pay to run farther than is fun to drive? Better yet, have to cross a border, and drive ~3 hours to even get to the race start? Crazy, crazy people, that’s who.
And even more crazy, is going into that race, with a buggered foot and sub par training. That’s ok though, I made it through Yakima with this same buggered foot, a head cold and puke fest a few days prior, and maybe even less training under my belt.
I know what you’re thinking, you’re thinking “but you HATED Yakima!” and yes, that is a true statement. I did hate Yakima, but I hated Yakima because I was not expecting the terrain, and was not expecting to be miserable. In this case, I fully expect to be miserable, and I’m fully okay with it. I know the terrain is not the same as Yakima, and I know far more friends that will be on the same start line, or even better on the 50M start line. So, at the bottom of the barrel, I am prepared to pull if I have to, I’m prepared to have another long rough day, I’m prepared to have friends that have been killing their training, absolutely crush me in their results. I’m prepared for all the bad things, and I know, because of this, it cannot possibly be as bad, or worse than Yakima.
Ya, I’m probably jinxing myself saying that, but I really believe all that. Yakima was my lowest low of an ultra, and it’s only up from there. I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again. 50K is a hell of a long ways to run, and it’s not going to be fun the entire time, there will be highs and lows, and when you’re in the low, it IS going to get better. Just focus on the task at hand, putting one foot in front of the other.
So, here we go. Sun Mountain 50K, 2nd ultra of 2014, my 8th ultra, my 7th 50K, who knows what’s in store for this one, but it’s bound to be an adventure.
Best of luck to all of my friends racing this weekend, most notably my cabin mates – Shea, Melissa, Dave, Hilary in the 50K, Sarah in the 50M, and friends Tom, James, Chloe, Jackie, Craig, Karl, Deavah, Gemma, Sarah, and anyone else I’ve missed, I hope the running gods are on your side this weekend!
I’m just glad to know that there’s lots of familiar smiling faces to bring up my mood if things go sour. And if I have to drop, I know I’ll have a drunk Jeff to hang out with! Haha.
I’m never away for the long weekend, so this is weird for me. What’s your long weekend plans? Camping?
xoxo
-S
