The bottom line is, that this race is ridiculously difficult. Even if I were in perfect shape (and had actually trained enough for it), there'd still be a 50% chance that I wouldn't finish. I have come to some very big realizations the past week about this race. My body is still not 100% following Vermont (something I had tried to convince myself of), and I have simply not put in enough miles since. Don't get me wrong, I have been running, but just not enough. So here's the deal...
I am going to go to Colorado. I am going to start the Leadville 100. I am going to have fun. Period. I am very excited to be in the mountains again...as I absolutely love Colorado (and the leadville area in particular). I am pumped to see a good friend that I haven't seen in a while (elizabeth - crew), pumped to meet new people and my new pacer (Kati), and excited to even be attempting something so infamous. I will push as hard as I can to finish this race, but I simply do not have the physical preparedness that I had for Vermont. This doesn't mean I can't do it...it just means I have to have a very realistic goal. While the idea of earning a buckle is appealing, it just seems now so out of reach. the fact that only 35 people earned a buckle last year (with 30 of them being high-altitude colorado runners), means even if I were in perfect peak shape, this would be unlikely. So rather than be discouraged, I am going to be excited and go into the same mentality I had last year at the vermont 50....and that is to simply endure to the finish before time runs out.
I am glad to be excited about this again. For the past week, I have been terrified and unexcited. Since coming to these realizations though, it's as though a huge weight has been lifted. I really am pumped just to get out there and make a stab at it.
so lets go running!
1 comment:
Have FUN at Leadville. Run it like URG would...with a silly sideways grin on your face;\
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