Happy new year, everyone!
Sooooo…remember back in September 2015 I participated in a 24-hour race but quit after 15 miles (and 5 hours) because I was so exhausted?
I signed up to do it again in 2016.
Yeah. I know. Don’t remind me.
But this time it’ll be different. This time I’m getting a hotel room. No messing around with tents or air mattresses that don’t stay inflated, or the inability to take a shower before the race so I can start off feeling fresh and ready. That’s one mistake I will NOT be making again. This time the only thing I’ll have on the route will be a chair, an umbrella (in case it rains), and a small cooler bag with snacks and running supplies. When I need to change clothes or shoes, or take a break – it’s back to the hotel for me, where I will have fresh clean clothes after soaking in an Epsom salt bath to relieve my muscles. No crouching in a pup tent wishing to God I had paid the $80 for a hotel room.
Not only that, but this time I’m going to actually train. And I’m not just saying that. Last year I said I’d train, and the months went by and suddenly it was September and the race was in a few short weeks. Nope, this time I’ve found a couple training programs that I’m going to do. Rather than just wing it, I’m doing a 16-week 10K program that’ll take me to late April, and then once that’s done I’ll do a half-marathon training program that will take me to mid-August. At that point, I’ll be used to doing 13 miles on occasion with no problems or sense of "I’m going to die now."
Then I’ll have 8 weeks to go from 13 miles to 20 miles (which is my goal for the actual race day). At that point, who knows? Maybe come race day I’ll actually be able to do MORE than 20 – but my goal is 20. If I do 20 (and in less than the 5 hours I did the 15 in 2015), then I’ll be extremely pleased.
So here’s the question you are probably asking: AM I GOING TO RUN? The answer is HECK NO. I am NOT running. Fast walking is much more my speed. However, the 10K training program is a running program, so I’ll at least do the slow jog for that training program. But the plan is NOT do focus on running the race, so much as distance – however long it takes me to walk that distance. Consider my snail’s pace during the last 2 miles of the 2015 race, if I’m moderately trained and focused, no doubt I’ll do much better.
Wish me luck!
