Oops, I did it again

If you have ever run in a race, then you are aware of how much pain and preparation can go into something like that. From a 5K to a marathon, you will invest some level of blood sweat and tears. Whether your prep is physical, mental or both- you do it.

I agreed to do this specific race last year… At the finish line after we completed it for the first time.  *The Blackspur Ultra*  There is something special about doing a team relay. The feelings of camaraderie and belonging to something ‘greater’…. whatever that may be, can be very hypnotic… along with the fuzziness of being up and exhausted for 24 hours… that may have also played a role.

The team registered early in 2016- and for those of you who have followed me for a while, you might remember that in December 2015, my doctor found a ‘mass’ on my parathyroid. It took a while to sort out, but by changing my nutrition and adding a few supplements, my naturopath was able to get my symptoms under control while I went from doctor to doctor trying to sort out what we were going to do with it. (currently awaiting surgery) I was able to start exercising again without feeling exhausted- and I even started teaching group exercise classes.  My training schedule had me ramping up my distance in Mid-June and I would undoubtedly be in the best shape of my life come August. No problem.

End of June… My dad is taken by ambulance to the hospital. He is there for 2 weeks, which means I am there for 2 weeks and then without warning he is gone. I don’t want to really get into it too much right now- I’m sure you will hear all about it- but for now, lets just say that the pain of losing a parent, or anyone that you are close to, is completely paralyzing. (Back up a few weeks in June, and one of my very best friends throughout school- I’m talking all the way from Kindergarten to grade 12 Grad- passed away under very sad circumstances) I was devastated. Crippled… Full on ugly scream crying in the shower kind of sad. There was no running. Not much standing actually.

Fast forward to this past weekend. 100K run, 6 of us. My leg of the race is about 19K. In the mountains. Easy right? That’s what I told myself in the days leading up to the event. I will survive. I will get through it. Sadly- this is not the first event that I have gone to, not completely on  top of my game.  Yup. I have faked my way through farther distances. I once ran a marathon with only a 16K run under my belt, 2 months before the race.             Not smart. I promised myself that I would be smarter. I had planned on being smarter. It just didn’t work out for me this year.

So there I stood in my exhausted, fuzzy splendour after 20 hours of racing and team support- feeling all hypnotized and special… agreeing to run the full 50K next summer.  Yes, I have run 50K before… more than once even.  At the time it seemed perfectly reasonable. As the feeling is starting to return to my legs, I am questioning my decision.     I will be a full year older.  I will definitely want to be well trained. You don’t want to fake a 50K mountain run.  I might as well throw my elusive marathon #10 into my 2017 plans if I am going to be training for a 50 anyway… right?

Let’s see what kind of magic we can manifest over the next 363 days….