Yes! The temperature is continuing to rise and it is really starting to feel like summer. My legs are feeling like they are completely recovered from Trail Mix, I've been enjoying some time on my road bike, and I even took a dip in the the lake this last Friday. I am well on my way to my distinctive multi-sport tan - red neck, racer back tan lines, and clear cut short lines on my legs. Oh yeah!
Last weekend, Matt and I got invited to run the Maple Grove half marathon. That was a fun diversion. The race directors always put on a first class race and it's an enjoyable, rolling course. We certainly try to support them when we can, and I'm usually a walking advertisement for their race since their race t-shirts are my favorites. Doing a road event was a good way to test my legs and see if they had any speed left in them - plenty of long, slow, miles put in on the trails. For the most part, I was able to maintain 8:45 pace pretty easily. I didn't PR, but felt like it was a reasonable effort for having not done any specific speed training. The miles clicked by quickly, and it was great having a quality workout in, in less than 2 hours!
I am chomping at the bit to get into more ultra marathon training and racing. Next weekend we have a 21 mile trail run on the schedule, and I'm really hoping to get to Afton State Park, spend some time on the trails and get some good hill work in. We are registered for the Afton 50k, in early July. The final tune-up before Voyager 50 mile. I am just so excited for both of those events. I know my psyche is working over time because I'm already having "nightmares" about DNF-ing at Voyager. Leading up to both Ironman races, I had similar dreams of not finishing. I'm fairly certain I will need another long race come fall, so I'm eyeing the Fall Superior Races, with my sights set on the 50 miler.
One of things I got to thinking about during the 1/2 marathon last weekend was the lack of crowds during trail races. There's nobody standing on the trail saying "You Can Do IT!" Maybe at the aid stations, but that's different. You look forward to those aid stations, and at that point that encouragement is probably needed! But each mile, each turn, to have complete strangers cheering you on... I dunno, it's not really my thing anymore. Some people really need that, but I want to dig deep, and meet my inner demons face to face. I want to look around and hear the breezes in the tree tops, listen to the birds and critters along the way. Occasionally tune into my music or catch a conversation with another runner. And know that the only way, I'm going to get to the finish, is to motivate myself. I've always said that running for me is like meditating. I can calm my mind, get in my zone and go for hours. I think having the trees, and trails as my back drop is going to be just fine for me right now.
Until next time, Happy Running!!
