It’s A 15 mile, Freakin’, Trail Run!!!

How do I end up signed up for a race like the 15 miler of the Earth Day 50K/15 Miler/5K?  I’ve never run a trail race.  Heck, I’ve essentially never run a trail.  I have run a few short segments and hiked many a trail but a 15 mile trail run?  What was I thinking?!    There are only about three weeks until the Mudd Runners, Earth Day 50K/15 Miler/5K and I’m both nervous and excited.   At least I was sane enough not to sign up for the 50K.  Let’s see how the 15 miler goes before taking that leap on a trail run.

Why am I nervous?  Because it’s a 15 mile, freakin’ trail run.  I don’t have any idea how fast or slow I will be out on the trail.  The course is a 5 mile loop that we run 3 times.  I don’t know how to handle the fast people that will be lapping me two or three times while they complete the 50K.  Will it be motivational or will it blow my mind?  How does one run through mud and not lose their shoes?  How does one run through mud period?  Will the uphills be so steep that I have to crawl?  Will the downhills scare me?  Oh, so much to worry about.   The 50K has an eight hour cut off and apparently, if I need it, I can take all eight hours for the 15 miler.  I sure hope not!  I’m not shooting for a goal time but eight hours is way beyond my expected finish time.

Hiking, no running (also quite a bit younger)

Why am I excited? Because it’s a 15 mile, freakin’ trail run!!!  What fun it will be running through the woods and trails on a lovely April morning.  I spend too much time on suburban blacktop.   How great will it be to see trees in bud, mud and green grass.   !!!  I’ve been combing over the Facebookpage for the run, looking at previous years’ results and photos and reading all sorts of trail run motivational stuff.  The photos from previous years look fantastic.  The sun has been out, the trails look soft (someplace VERY muddy) and everyone looks happy.   All the women look beautiful and about half my age.  Sigh, sometimes I think it would be better if I felt 57 (whatever that means) then maybe I wouldn’t sign up for these races.    On the other hand, if I finish strong, being 57 years old just adds to my bad ass status.  Or maybe, just to my ass status.  Either way. :-)

But a couple road races are up before this event.  First, the Bolingbrook Shake It Off 5K to benefit the Michael J. Fox foundation on Saturday, March 28^th and then the 2^nd Annual Chicago Quarter Marathon on Saturday, April 4^th.  Race reports due up soon!

My 2015 Race Schedule

As 2015 started and I began seriously thinking about my upcoming 50 mile ultra, I decided I would pay attention to my race schedule.  I was going to make sure that my official races matched up to my training needs and I wasn’t going to sign up for races just because my friends were signing up.   Looking at my calendar, I think I’ve only been marginally successful. 

Here are my scheduled races for 2015:

March 28^th                           Shake It Off 5K      

April 4^th                               Chicago Quarter Marathon   

April 18^th                             MUDD 15 Mile Trail Run    

April 25^th                             Slyfox Half Marathon        

May 31^st                               Rockford Half Marathon   

June 5^th                                 Heartland Series Marathon 

July 11^th                                Xtreme 10 (10 miler) 

September 12^th                     Hennepin 50 Miler  

October  11th                        Chicago Marathon (hopefully)

After the 50 Miler, I’m hoping to run the Chicago Marathon with a group of running club friends on behalf of Team Fox to support the Michael J. Fox Foundation and their Parkinson’s research.  I also might not run the Rockford Half and run the Lurie Children’s 5K with the Ullman Foundation’s Cancer to 5K group.   I probably will add a few local 5Ks that are just fun, like the Parkie’s 5K in August.  Heck, I came in 2^nd in my age group last year, I might want to try to repeat that.

A year ago, this schedule with two marathons and a 50 miler would have seemed very daunting.  Now, it seems very doable with the right mindset.   Guess I’m really a runner.  I will never be fast;  but, what I lack in speed I can make up for in endurance.  I'm looking forward to lots of long runs with friends on my journey.

So It Begins!

I’m just about six months away from conquering my first 50 Mile ultra.  When I ran the Chicago Marathon in 2013, like many, I stated that I would never run another marathon.   I just didn’t see the point in all that training and ultimately running 26.2 miles.  Well, times have changed and a year and half have passed, and the miles are once again beginning to ramp up.  

What is different now?  For one, I’m firmly entrenched in my run club.  I now know people and am comfortable asking for company on all or part of a long run.  When I trained for Chicago, I was still a relative newbie to the group but even then a couple folks often joined me on my training runs.  Two other club members have signed up for this run so right there, training partners.   Secondly, I’ve also been much more consistent in my base training and have been running 20-25 miles per week, including running many days back to back (which I never did before.)  This has greatly improved my overall recovery times.  I know longer need two or three days to come back from long runs.  Thirdly, I’ve gotten to the point where I know how to avoid injury and no enough to rest a couple days if something does ache – I DO NOT run through it.  And finally, I have started to lose some weight.  I wasn’t overweight but definitely on the upper end of healthy and losing a few pounds will make the run that much easier.  I’ve lost about 7 lbs so far and am hoping to lose about ten more by the end of April.

Summer View of the Canal Path

I’m starting to get excited about my 50 Miler.  The Hennepin Canal will be beautiful in late summer and I've heard the camaraderie at these trail ultras is really good.  The group that is running the event has a great reputation and I just can’t wait!!!!

Lots of miles to go before I am ready but I’m pretty sure I will be ready!  Want to join me?  I believe there are still spots open for both the 50 and 100 miler.  Sign up here: https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=29711