I did it. I signed up for my 100miler.

I had an inkling that I’d probably want to do it back in Feb, after my first 50miler went so well. I kept procrastinating with signing up. Honestly, it scared me. I know I can do a marathon on no training. I can do one at a reasonably ‘hard’ pace for me (probably more like ‘slightly uncomfortable after mile 20’ pace) and still not hurt and resume all activities the next day. Or do another one. And apparently 50miles isn’t a big deal for me either. I’m not fast, but solidly in the middle-of-the-pack. I feel if I do more of them, I’d get a lot better. I like that distance. Harder than a marathon, but not much more training. With my base, I know I can continue doing them without too much effort or harm.

But this one, I’m scared. I’ve done more miles and races this year than I ever have, and I don’t feel ready. Being sick this past week hasn’t helped with my confidence, as I need to be doing big miles RIGHT NOW. The race is 38 days away. Build time is NOW. Ugh. I’ll do what I can this week and part of next, but I have my “A” race next weekend. I’ve been training for that, instead of the 100 as I didn’t know if I’d arrive at this point in the year healthy. Which is a legitimate worry, as I’ve been very sick and sprained my ankle in the past 2 weeks. So, there is that to worry about.

My biggest hesitation is that running this many miles, this often, is that it isn’t exactly healthy. Or, it’s not healthy for me. I would venture out to say that running this many miles, doing 50-100miles several times a year…isn’t healthy for anyone. I think most of us ultra runners realize that. We do it because we’re not right in our head. We like the pain. Not to be ‘healthy.’ We like the suffering. And we like to come out on top of it all.

So, doing 100 goes against my New Years Promise to myself, to be HEALTHY. I’ve been conflicted with this for many months because I know it’s not the most healthy thing to do. However, I am in really great shape right now despite having put on 10lbs in the past 2 months. Again: running this many events/miles isn’t healthy! The calories one must consume to do these and not get injured, over-trained, or sick (ahem), and the inflammation and stress it puts the body…is not conducive to losing (or maintaining for me) weight. I’m carrying so much ‘bloat’ (I call it ‘carb bloat’) from the races, it’s not going down or away, despite eating well during the week. I’m taxing my body and it’s hanging on….BUT. I know how to fix it. After the 100, apparently.

Since this blog is supposed to be about my workouts, here they are:

Day 299: Kettlebell! Whew, the 15lb feels heavy. Definitely not 100% yet. I did this while watching the TeamUSA v. World CrossFit competition online. I. MISS. CROSSFIT. I can’t wait until Dec when I can go back to my gym.

Day 300!: I should have done something special. Bummer. I didn’t realize it was 300 until I was writing this.
I did Kettlebell again. Easing back into it, post-sickness.

Day 301: CHORES! I did some KB today, and I was so amp’d up from watching too many episodes of Breaking Bad that I had to get out and do something destructive. I moved a chopped down tree and all it’s branches from the front driveway area to the backyard next to the fire pit. Then I started a big-ass fire. It was awesome.

Day 302: Kettlebells. Did various sets of swings, SDHP and presses with the KB. I’ve been binging on Breaking Bad and when I get worked up and can’t sit down, I pick up the KB.

Day 303: 2 RUNS!
#1:
Interval run. Since I signed up for the 100 today, I need to get back to running again even if I’m not 100%.
Do a lap down the street, then back to the house for chores/homework.
Haven’t run since Louisville 1.5 weeks ago. Ugh. Hate being sick.
lap 1: .36, 7:39 pace (a little rough)
lap 2: .37, 6:55 (whoa)
lap 3: .37, 7:04 (got heckled by some punks, scared me a bit that they were going to follow me, based on what they said. Wish I had my gun on me, it was that bad.)
lap 4: .36, 6:56 (kinda scared after the last round)

RUN #2, on the track at school. I didn’t want to run in my rural neighborhood, don’t want to see those gross men again.
Mile 1: 8:37
Mile 2: 8:00
.4: 7:45
I kept telling myself to slow down. I said, “Yo! Slow down, yo! Easy pace, b*tch!” (breaking bad, I can’t shake it). I didn’t listen. Still wasn’t a hard effort! I had planned on running about a 9-9:30 pace, but I just went…

Yeah, starting ‘official’ training 38 days out is a great idea, right?
(I kid, I kid, I did 4 marathons in Oct, 1 in Sept & 2 50k’s in Sept. 5 more during the summer. Decent base miles!)

So, time to train up to out-run some gators!