Ultrarunning training recap

Once again it's been ages! I would lie and say I would try to fix that but I just hate turning my computer on when I come home from work and I hate dealing with uploading pictures. However, since I am now a week away from my 50 mile run, I wanted to make sure to recap this training/my experience before my thoughts get skewed by the race itself. Overall, this training has been a roller coaster, with real lows and real highs. However, I have followed my training plan, have prioritized taking care of myself, and will toe the line next weekend with no regrets/shoulda/woulda/couldas. Hopefully I will finish the race (ahead of Abe so I get free beer), but if something goes wrong I can be happy with the journey.

Here are the random thoughts that have run through my mind (I might add more as the week goes on but 10 seems like the right number):




1) The smartest thing I did was hired Iwan to out together a training plan for me. It took the guesswork out and was tailored to my schedule. It was also great to be able to reach out to him when I had questions. I feel confident that I am much better prepared than if I tried to get a generic plan somewhere.

2) I am amazed at how my body has adapted to the training. The first several build cycles I struggled to be able to do things post long run on the weekends and was getting super frustrated, particularly at the negative effect on my social life because I was too afraid to make plans. I started telling people I was feeling the opportunity cost if the training was just too dang high! Then, a flip switched late July/early august. All of a sudden I could run 20+ in the am and hang out with friends no problem in the pm.  This was really beneficial the night my friend had an extra field seat ticket to the dc united game, the night before ironman chatanooga, and the night I attended a hurricane party until midnight my peak training weekend and danced the night away (compression pants under the jeans). Once the tipping point hit, the opportunity cost didn't seem nearly as high and I started to enjoy the training a lot more.

3) Still, I have really felt the loneliness of this training, and I have vacillated between frustration and enjoyment of this. I thought the training would be easier since I didn't have to commit both weekend days to it (most of the time). However, I found I missed the social aspect of the long bike rides. When I was getting super frustrated, I finally learned to ask friends to join me. While I found I preferred to do most of my long runs solo to not have to worry about pace/logistics of a meetup, I really needed the few runs I did with Mike, Abe, Jen, and Sam to help keep me sane.

4) Yoga has been an absolute life saver and a fun way to mix up my training. I have always known it would be good, particularly since I am so inflexible, but I have also feared it. I have had a history of purchasing month long groupons for bikram yoga post large races, but the repetitive nature/extreme heat have driven me away after a handful of classes. Then in May, I found a new studio (honest soul yoga) in Alexandria that does warm (85ish degree) flow and I just fell in love with the studio/classes/teachers and practically begged Iwan to fit it into my plan. I was so fearful if I didn't do it regularly I would just have major issues. I have stuck with it mainly because I enjoy it and I truly feel it has kept my body from really tightening up and has saved me from injury. My favorite pose is child's pose.

One of the reasons yoga at home doesn't work so well

5) This summer has very much been a test if how well I can roll with the punches at work and the consistency of having the the training to focus on has really helped me deal with all of it. I have been blessed the last four years to work with some amazing people, but a lot of us were hired around the same time and we have reached the natural point where people have decided to move on. In my team(ish) of 13ish, since June 4 people have left for other opportunities, my partner in crime moved to London (and is still part if the team), and one person (who has been a true mentor) has taken on pretty much another role in a different office on an interim basis. On top of that my work bestie in another team left and our chief accounting officer left this week to stay home in Tulsa, from where she has been commuting for six straight years. I also expect plenty more changes ahead before all is said and "done." While all of these changes will hopefully bring about exciting development/growth opportunities and I learned  early on at Deloitte that the revolving door is natural and life inevitably moves on, I personally value my relationships at work and it is always sad to say goodbye. The good news is while I am training a lot, I haven't been as tired as I was last summer when I broke down crying on my boss from sheer exhaustion/frustration! By the way, he handled it wonderfully (see above about how I work with amazing people).

6) I went to an awesome ultrarunning camp in June where I got to interact with some of the elites in our sport. I will eventually is it the long recap I wrote while sitting in the airport during my 7 hour delay.

7) I am loving the long (70-90) minute midweek runs, even the hill repeats. I have run outside all summer from my office in the am to avoid the commute, and just really enjoy putting on the (mostly) country music and going. I also have found unlike past summers where I ran on the treadmills, my body has adapted to crave the heat (not humidity). I get so sick of being cold in my artic office and now that its getting colder I am fearing not feeling warm for another 8 months.

8) Audiobooks, particularly thrillers, are awesome at making the hours pass by while keeping me going. Except for when I am running alone in the woods.

9) The best run(/power hike) of the training was the 20 miler Abe and I did in Skyline Drive. I felt like SUCH A BADASS doing a training run in the mountains. I do have to say though, while I am enjoying trail running, I think it's best within the 6-12 mile range, particularly if it is raining.

10) While I am enjoying the ultra process this year, I think next year I will focus on shorter distances after a year of ironman training and a year of ultra training. I want to recapture my love of cooking/catch up on some other items on my bucket list. My current plan (subject to change) is to try to increase my speed for a half marathon in the spring, and then maybe really aim for a sub 4 hour marathon in the fall. My PR is 4:02 but that was a few pounds ago & I have slowed down with this training. Honestly, the thought of training and aiming for a marathon time goal is scarier to me than this ultra business!