2018 Blue Ridge Relay - Not for the Faint of Heart

I have not had the time to sit down a write my race report from the Password Penguins running of the 2018 Blue Ridge Relay.  I have been on the road almost nonstop since getting back from North Carolina.  Before I begin my report, let me just say that the race’s motto “Consider all others... a warm-up!” is not a joke.  This was by far the hardest relay race I have ever participated in.  I would not recommend anyone making this their first adventure relay race.  The course is very hard and the teams are very serious which didn’t really fit with my rag tag team of runners.  We run these races for the challenge but more for the fun and camaraderie of the experience. 

I had been in North Carolina most of the week for work.  On Wednesday, I drove down to Greenville, SC where I would pick up 3 of my teammates.  We all met up on Wednesday evening and headed to our hotels.  We had a nice dinner before getting back to our hotel to get some rest before picking up Mara and heading up to Boone, NC on Thursday to meet the rest of the team.

Mara’s plane came in on time.  After picking her up we headed over to the Sprouts to pick up our van food for the race.  Once we had purchased all the food, we decided to grab lunch in Greenville before making the 2 hour drive up to Boone.  We had a nice sushi lunch which was the perfect food before a race.  The drive up to Boone from Greenville was beautiful.  But it was obvious to me that these were not just hills we would be running starting Friday morning.  They were truly mountains.  I figured that I had trained hard for this race so I would be fine.  I wasn’t sure about the rest of the team.  Little did I know what I personally was in for.

We got to Boone about 4 pm and checked into our hotel.  4 of our runners were delayed in Asheville.  They would not be able to join us for dinner on time.  So we all headed over to the restaurant to have a few drinks and some good food while we waited for them to arrive.  The restaurant was really good.  It is called The Local.  The menu is made up of delicious local recipes and had a full bar with a great beer selection in a warm, ambient setting.  We were hoping the rest of the team would get there before we finished our dinner.  They never made it.  So we all headed back to the hotel to get our last rest before heading to the starting line at Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia.

Grayson Highlands State Park is near Mount Rogers and Whitetop Mountain which are Virginia's two highest mountains.  The views as we approached the park were beyond belief.  The sun was just coming up and we had scenic views of alpine-like peaks that are more than 5,000 feet high.  I wondered just how high the “hills” would be during the race.  After checking in, we hung out together waiting for our 7:30 am start time. 

Right at 7:20 am they called the teams for that wave to the starting line.  Our first runner Michelle was ready to go.  The gun went off right on time at 7:30 and we were on the run.  Since I was in Van 1, we had to head to the exchange area to meet Michelle.  I was Runner #3 so I wanted to have time to get ready and stretch before my run.  We did have to stop along the way to the exchange to admire the views.  The scenery was one of the main reasons I wanted to try this relay.  We were not disappointed.

Michelle handed off to Gordon ad we headed to my exchange.  I was pretty excited about getting started.  I had trained hard for this race and wanted to see if I had prepared enough.  Gordon showed up at the exchange at 9:29 am and I headed out from the Helton United Methodist Church for a hilly first leg.  It was only 66o but the humidity was 100%.  Despite all of my preparation and training, I was dying after the first 2 miles due to heat and elevation gain.  I was pushing myself so I wouldn’t let the team down.  But I was running up a hill that gained 506 feet in 2.5 miles.  I pushed myself as best I could but I could not get my pace down to 8:30 per mile.  I took the downhill and tried to pick up the pace at the end running hard into the exchange at the Landmark Baptist Church.  My second mile is what killed my average pace having run a 12:02 mile.  I had to walk a couple of times at the steepest portion.  But given the weather conditions and temperature I was pretty pleased with my overall time.

Mara’s first leg started at the Friendly Grove Baptist Church.  She had to cover 6.7 miles which would be her longest leg.  Once she started, we headed to a place where we could pull over and give her some water as it was getting pretty hot.  She said she was doing fine.  We met her one more time for a quick check before heading to Frosty’s Choose & Cut where the big exchange to Van 2 was located.   Mara did really well and came into the exchange with a huge smile on her face and at  a strong pace. 

After a little exchange of barbs between our vans, we headed back into Boone to grab lunch.  Once we had eaten, we headed to the next big exchange area at the Mount Vernon Baptist Church.  We all grabbed our blankets, towels, etc. to lay down in the grass and try to get a little nap in.  I was able to get a little bit of shut eye.  Unfortunately the church was next to a baseball field and there were little leaguers practicing and making a ton of noise.  After a while, we got the call that Randy was on his way.  So we gathered up all of our stuff and got Michelle ready to head out for her 2nd leg.

Once Randy handed off to Michelle, we were off and running again.  After Michelle handed off to Gordon, we headed to the exchange so I could get ready for my very hard second leg.  Gordon came into the exchange to hand off to me at 10:00 p.m.  I took off from the Grandfather Country Store knowing I had a very challenging leg ahead.  It was still 66o and 100% humidity.  I headed out figuring my goal was to finish the leg and not worry about time.  It was a relentless hill climb the entire way.  The road was pitch black with almost no traffic on the road except for the other team’s vans.  I was totally drenched in sweat after 3 miles and was already struggling with the climbs.  Overall I gained 1,666 feet with only 934 of downhill over the total course.  I had to take several walk breaks to not overheat and keep moving foward.  As the run progressed, I was getting mad at myself for not being able to run faster.  I had trained for these hills.  What I couldn’t simulate in Arizona was the North Carolina humidity.  It simply sapped all my strength.  After a long struggle, I pulled into the exchange at the entrance to Grandfather Mountain at 11:45 pm.  I felt defeated because I had lost so much time for my team.  But I couldn’t worry about it.  I had to get some rest and prepare for my final leg.

Mara’s second leg started at Newland Elementary School.  It was a run through the town of Newland.  I was a little nervous for Mara because of the darkness and the lack of runners around us.  We had a little scare when she called to make sure she had made the correct turn.  I didn’t see a turn on the map.  So I told her to stay put and we would come back and find her.  But another van came by an confirmed she was right.  We found her and made sure she was doing ok.  She was pushing herself as hard as she could.  But this course was rough.   She made it to the exchange and handed off to Brian.  We all were wrecked at this point and we still had one more leg to go. 

We headed to the Bakersfield Fire Department to get as much rest as we could before having to run our final leg.  There was some nice grassy areas to grab some sleep.  We all found a comfortable place to lay down and it was pretty quiet.  I actually got some decent sleep although it was shortened when another van pulled in and left their bright lights shining towards where we were sleeping.  We got the call from Van 2 that they were on their way.  Again we gathered our things up and got ready for Michelle to run her final leg. 

Michelle took off just before sunrise and had a great run.  Gordon headed out after getting the hand off and we headed to the exchange at the Tipton Hill Elementary School.  I wanted to redeem myself on this final leg after a terrible performance the night before.  Our team was running very close to last place.  Everyone was struggling in the heat and humidity.  Gordon came into the exchange and I headed out.  I knew I had a quick steep climb and then a long downhill before a gradual climb for 7 of the 9 miles I had to cover.  I rocked it down the hill with a sub-8 minute pace.  Then I just locked into a comfortable pace.  My goal was to take walk breaks only if the heat was getting to me.  I did take a couple to lower my heart rate and recover a bit.  But I was able to push on through and get back into a pace I trained at for the past 3 months.  The humidity had dropped to 94%.  I was really gassed the last mile.  But I ran into the Clermont Elementary School and handed off to Vanessa.  As I cooled down, I tried to lock into my memory all of the beautiful vistas I had seen so far during this race.  My last leg along the Toe River was spectacular.  It almost made it worth the pain.

Mara’s final leg was brutal.  Our team was 2 hours behind our predicted pace and were definitely one of the last 3 teams in the race bringing up the rear.  The race was really hot and humid.  We stopped to give her water several times.  She was getting pretty frustrated because she couldn’t run as hard as she wanted.  The rest of the team assured her she was doing really well given the condition.  Despite the difficulty, Mara did appreciate the beauty of her last leg.  She finally came in and handed off to Brian who gave her a big hug before he headed out.  We were finally done.

Since we knew we would have some extra time before Van 2 finished, we headed to the hotel in downtown Asheville.  We took a little rest and a much needed shower.  It was nice to wash off all of the sweat and  grime that had accumulated on our bodies running in the high heat and humidity.  Unfortunately we really were one of the last 3 teams vying for last place.  The race team stopped our Van 2 and had them jump forward 3 legs to ensure that they would finish before the cut off.  As frustrating as that was, I was glad that we would at least get to run across the finish line as a team which I wanted Mara to experience.

We waited at the finish line area for Van 2 to come in.  I have to say that the finish line area was a huge disappointment.  There was nowhere to sit and they has absolutely no refreshments of any kind.  Not even any water.  Randy finally came running around the corner and the team joined him as we all ran across the finish line.  Even though we clearly had our numbers showing the race announcer didn’t announce our name.  Pretty lame in my opinion.  Despite all of the things we didn’t like about the race, we had done our best and finished in 35:38:15.  We were the 3rd from last place team. 

The team gathered together and went out to dinner at Buxton Hall BBQ.  We all discussed the race and in the end were proud of how well we did despite the course difficulty and weather conditions.  There obviously was some disappointment that we were moved ahead on the course.  I personally felt pretty good in the end.  As I said, this was the toughest relay I have ever run.  In the end, I ran 24.3 miles in 3:59:14 seconds which was an overall 9:51 pace.  Not bad considering the heat, elevation changes and humidity.  Mara did really well and ran further in a race than she has ever run.  Since the race did not give out medals (They give you a refrigerator magnet), Leslie and I got her a necklace of hills made by a local Asheville artist.  Mara loved it. 

Now almost a month later I can say simply that I am proud of the team.  We are not the most serious group of runners.  When challenged though, we get out there and push ourselves beyond our limits.  I am so glad to have had the chance to share the experience with my daughter.  As I look back I am glad I pushed myself way past my comfort zone.  As Anne Sullivan (instructor and lifelong companion of Helen Keller) said, “Keep on beginning and failing.  Each time you fail, start all over again, and you will grow stronger until you have accomplished a purpose - not the one you began with perhaps, but one you'll be glad to remember.”  I will always be glad to remember the Blue Ridge Relay.

Aug 20 – 6.50 miles (58:54, 9:04 pace)
Aug 23 – 3.10 miles (31:02, 10:00 pace)
Aug 24 – 10.20 miles (1:26:35, 8:29 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 25 – 10.20 miles (1:39:27, 9:45 pace)
Aug 26 – 10.20 miles (1:38:16, 9:38 pace)
Aug 27 – 8.10 miles (1:32:12, 11:23 pace) – Hill Repeats
Aug 28 – 9.50 miles (1:26:13, 9:04 pace) – Mile Repeats
Aug 30 – 10.20 miles (1:27:05, 8:32 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 31 – 7.10 miles (1:06:34, 9:23 pace)
Sept 1 – 8.10 miles (1:18:05, 9:38 pace)
Sept 2 – 8.20 miles (1:17:16, 9:25 pace)
Sept 3 – 6.10 miles (1:01:00, 9:59 pace)
Sept 7 – 5.10 miles (45:49, 8:58 pace) – BRR Leg #1
Sept 7 – 10.30 miles (1:45:14, 10:13 pace) – BRR Leg #2
Sept 8 – 9.20 miles (1:28:11, 9:35 pace) – BRR Leg #3
Sept 11 – 5.10 miles (47:52, 9:23 pace)
Sept 12 – 5.10 miles (48:38, 9:33 pace)
Sept 13 – 5.20 miles (48:00, 9:13 pace)
Sept 15 – 3.20 miles (28:39, 8:57 pace)
Sept 16 – 13.10 miles (2:08:52, 9:50 pace)
Sept 18 – 5.20 miles (45:44, 8:48 pace) – Speed Work
Sept 19 – 5.10 miles (52:21, 10:16 pace)
Sept 21 – 3.20 miles (28:52, 9:02 pace) – Tempo Run
Sept 22 – 4.10 miles (41:22, 10:05 pace)
Sept 23 – 7.10 miles (1:05:27, 9:13 pace)
Sept 25 – 5.20 miles (45:40, 8:47 pace) – Speed Work
Sept 26 – 5.10 miles (56:22, 11:04 pace)
Sept 27 – 3.10 miles (26:24, 8:31 pace) – Tempo Run
Sept 29 – 4.20 miles (38:27, 9:09 pace)
Sept 30 – 14.10 miles (2:15:34, 9:37 pace)

Total Miles:  210.2 miles
2018 Total Miles:  1,420.5 miles

Next Up the 2018 Blue Ridge Relay

My next race is a little over two weeks away.  I will be leaving to head to the Blue Ridge Relay race on Labor Day.  I have to go out to North Carolina to review some real estate for Sprouts before the race.  I will get into Raleigh that Monday night and then work my way around the State visiting sites and some of our existing stores before finishing in Greenville, SC.  A couple of my other teammates will be joining me there on Wednesday night.  The next day the rest of the team and my daughter Mara will be flying in to join us.  We will then head up to Boone, NC to rest before heading to the starting line for our 7:30 a.m. starting time on Friday September 7th.

I am going to be Runner #3 and my portion of this relay will cover 24.8 miles.  Mara is going to be runner #8 and she will run the furthest she has ever run covering 16.1 miles.  My first leg (# 3) starts at the Helton United Methodist Church and finishes 5.2 miles later at the Landmark Baptist Church.  The leg is described as a good climb and descent on gravel.  Mostly flat and rolling before and after the gravel road section.  The first mile is on a pretty heavily trafficked road.  Looking at the grades of the uphill portion of this leg it looks like it will be challenge.  Walking will be necessary to get up this hill.

Mara’s first leg is #6 starting at the Friendly Grove Baptist Church and finishes 6.7 miles later at the Frosty’s Choose & Cut which is a is a family owned choose and cut Christmas tree farm, specializing in Fraser Firs since 1960.  Wow, it is even older than me.  The leg is described as a having a good climb and a steep gravel/dirt descent early on, followed by a long gradual climb through the valley.  A steep paved climb and 1-mile descent finish this run.  They say that runners will enjoy the view of Bluff Mountain and its waterfall as they begin their first big descent.  I will advise Mara to use the walk/run method to finish this leg.

After we get some rest as Van 2 runs legs 7 – 12, my next leg is going to be #15.  The leg starts at the Grandfather Country Store.  This store sits on the eastern slope of Grandfather Mountain and has claimed the site at Blue Moon Gap since the early 1920s.  According to their website, generations of mountain people have bought groceries, hardware, and automobile products at the little store that was once known as Blue Moon Station.  It has had several owners, name changes, and facelifts, but remains ever "The Country Store" to local people who were taken there as children and now walk the same floor boards to buy drinks and snacks with their grandchildren.  This leg is my longest travelling 10.5 miles and finishing at Grandfather Mountain.  This leg is described as a tough leg because of the distance and because most of it is a climb.

Mara’s second leg is #18 and starts at Newland Elementary School and finishes 5 miles later at a Chirstmas Tree lot.  The leg is described as mostly rolling with a big climb on Cow Camp.  They recommend that runners be extra alert for traffic on Spanish Oak.  It has a pretty tough climb from about mile 2.5 to mile 4.  Our team will be there to support Mara as she kills this one. 

Again after a rest we will be ready to run our last legs of this race.  My final leg is #27 and starts at Tipton Hill Elementary School and finishes 9.1 miles later.  Based on our time estimator, I will be running this leg at sunrise.  It has a nice downhill portion at the start.  Unfortunately it has a steady climb from mile 4 to the end.  The leg does run along the North Toe River.  According to Wikipedia, the name Toe is taken from its original name Estatoe, pronounced 'S - ta - toe', a native American name associated with the Estatoe trade route leading down from the North Carolina mountains through Brevard. There is a historical plaque in Brevard with information that affirms the route, which continues into South Carolina, where a village of the same name was located.  Due to difficulty in pronouncing the name it was shortened over the years to Toe.  I am hoping the scenery will take my mind off the pain.

Mara’s final leg is #30.  If everything goes as planned, she will be starting off around 9:00 a.m.  The leg starts at Concord Baptist Church and ends 4.4 miles later.  The route is a very gradual up hill and runs along the Cane River.  The Cane River is a stream in Yancey County, North Carolina.  It originates on the western slopes of Mount Mitchell and flows northward until it joins the North Toe River to form the Nolichucky. It flows through the communities of Pensacola, Burnsville, Cane River, Ramseytown, and Huntdale.  I think this will be a beautiful way for Mara to finish her first ever adventure relay race.

I know that I have trained hard for this race.  I made sure that I did a lot of hill work throughout my training.  I am not sure what I will find when I am out there in North Carolina.  But everything I have read about this race is that it is one of the best relays in the country.  The race director and volunteer’s desire is to share the beauty of their mountain home with other runners.  I have loved the mountains of North Carolina ever since the first time Bev and I drove through them in 1991 when we were moving to Arkansas.  Now for the first time, I will be able to experience them on foot with my daughter and my running friends.  It just doesn’t get any better than that!

July 23 – 6.10 miles (1:12:16, 11:51 pace) – Hill Repeats
July 24 – 6.50 miles (59:13, 9:07 pace) – Mile Repeats
July 26 – 9.10 miles (1:17:55, 8:34 pace) – Tempo Run
July 27 – 6.10 miles (1:03:59, 10:19 pace)
July 28 – 10.30 miles (1:42:34, 9:57 pace)
July 29 – 10.10 miles (1:45:35, 10:27 pace)
July 30 – 8.10 miles (1:35:03, 11:44 pace) – Hill Repeats
July 31 – 6.50 miles (59:04, 9:05 pace) – Mile Repeats
Aug 2 – 9.10 miles (1:18:09, 8:35 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 3 – 7.10 miles (1:10:35, 9:56 pace)
Aug 4 – 6.10 miles (1:19:54, 10:06 pace)
Aug 5 – 12.10 miles (1:59:20, 9:52 pace)
Aug 6 – 6.10 miles (1:13:04, 11:59 pace) – Hill Repeats
Aug 7 – 8.00 miles (1:12:40, 9:05 pace) – Mile Repeats
Aug 9 – 9.10 miles (01:17:26, 8:31 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 10 – 6.10 miles (58:29, 9:31 pace)
Aug 11 – 10.20 miles (1:37:13, 9:32 pace)
Aug 12 – 10.20 miles (01:37:42, 9:35 pace)
Aug 13 – 8.10 miles (1:28:20, 10:54 pace) – Hill Repeats
Aug 14 – 7.00 miles (1:02:53, 8:59 pace) – Mile Repeats
Aug 17 – 10.10 miles (1:26:29, 8:34 pace) – Tempo Run
Aug 18 – 12.10 miles (1:59:47, 9:54 pace)
Aug 19 – 6.10 miles (59:24, 9:44 pace)

Total Miles:  189.3 miles
2018 Total Miles:  1,210.3 miles

Doing Something Dopey

I am in the final 6 weeks of training for the Blue Ridge Relay.  The heat here in Arizona is definitely taking its toll.  I have found that when I need to run more than 8 miles the heat really makes it hard to keep running.  I decided a long time ago that if I feel like I am starting to overheat that I will just take a short walk break to recover a bit.  This of course means that my paces suffer in the summer.  It doesn’t matter.  I am still getting in the required mileage and know that when the cooler temps come again my pace will pick up.

I have been looking for a new challenge.  I am taking on over 24 miles in this relay.  I have run 14 overnight adventure relays so far.  While I really enjoy them and they are challenging, I needed something new to get my competitive juices flowing.  Another marathon would be interesting but I have conquered that distance 9 times.  So when my daughter called to see if I wanted to run the Disney World Half Marathon with her, I said yes.  But I had read about a challenge that interested me called The Dopey Challenge.  How appropriate a name for this event.

I decided to sign up for The Dopey Challenge and will be running it in January 2019.  What is the challenge?  It is simply running all 4 races that are scheduled for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend.  Here is how Disney describes it:

It's four days of race magic for a total of 48.6 miles in the Dopey Challenge! Participants will run the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Walt Disney World® Marathon back-to-back days. If you complete all four races within the pacing requirements you will be awarded the Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge medal and the Dopey Challenge finisher medal in addition to the individual race medals for a total of six pieces of "bling."
I am so fired up to train for this race challenge.  The best part is that my daughter is going to run the 10K and Half Marathon with me.  The only thing I know is that I will have to finish the marathon in 5 hours and 30 minutes or less.  In my worst marathon performance when I had injured my hamstring, I was able to finish in under 5 hours.  So I think I can get in the 26.2 miles in less than 5 and a half hours.  Of course, I will have already run 22.4 miles.  Maybe I shouldn’t be so sure.  Regardless, the overnight relays have prepared me for running on tired legs which is a plus.

I can’t wait to see how my body holds up as I run a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon on back-to-back days.  I think that all of my mearthon training and relay races have adequately prepared me for this type of challenge.  But before I start thinking about the Disney race, I need to remain focused on getting in the hill training required to allow me to successfully complete my 3 legs in the Blue Ridge Relay in September.

God I love this sport!

Jun 11 – 6.10 miles (1:04:50, 10:38 pace) – Hill Repeats
Jun 12 – 6.30 miles (53:49, 8:33 pace) – Speed work
Jun 14 – 7.10 miles (1:01:19, 8:38 pace) – Tempo Run
Jun 15 – 6.20 miles (56:03, 9:02 pace)
Jun 16 – 10.10 miles (1:36:47, 9:35 pace)
Jun 17 – 11.20 miles (1:45:16, 9:24 pace)
Jun 18 – 6.10 miles (1:05:21, 10:43pace) – Hill Repeats
Jun 19 – 6.30 miles (53:41, 8:31 pace) – Speed work
Jun 21 – 9.20 miles (1:19:54, 8:21 pace) – Tempo Run
Jun 22 – 7.10 miles (1:07:53, 9:34 pace)
Jun 23 – 11.10 miles (1:46:40, 9:37 pace)
Jun 24 – 11.30 miles (1:48:43, 9:37 pace)
Jun 25 – 6.10 miles (1:08:22, 11:13 pace) – Hill Repeats
Jun 26 – 7.10 miles (59:58, 8:27 pace) – Tempo Run
Jun 28 – 3.10 miles (23:30, 7:35 pace) – Speed work
Jun 29 – 6.10 miles (59:07, 9:42pace)
Jun 30 – 10.10 miles (1:34:19, 9:20 pace)
July 1 – 13.30 miles (2:02:35, 9:13 pace)
July 2 – 8.10 miles (1:27:34, 10:49 pace) – Hill Repeats
July 3 – 6.30 miles (53:46, 8:32 pace) – Speed work
July 5 – 8.10 miles (1:19:54, 8:32 pace) – Tempo Run
July 6 – 7.10 miles (1:09:16, 9:45 pace)
July 7 – 12.10 miles (1:59:14, 9:51 pace)
July 8 – 6.20 miles (1:00:49, 9:49 pace)
July 9 – 6.10 miles (1:07:54, 11:08 pace) – Hill Repeats
July 10 – 6.20 miles (53:33, 8:38 pace) – Speed work
July 12 – 6.10 miles (53:24, 8:45 pace) – Tempo Run
July 15 – 7.10 miles (1:04:13, 9:03 pace)
July 16 – 6.10 miles (55:03, 9:01 pace)
July 17 – 3.10 miles (1:19:54, 7:40 pace) – Speed work
July 19 – 8.10 miles (1:08:46, 8:29 pace) – Tempo Run
July 20 – 7.10 miles (1:09:01, 9:43 pace)
July 21 – 6.20 miles (55:35, 8:58 pace)
July 22 – 12.50 miles (2:03:29, 9:53 pace)

Total Miles:  260.4 miles
2018 Total Miles:  1,021.0 miles

Run for Joy

Back in April of 2014 at age 53, I suffered my first really serious injury that sidelined me for a while.  I had injured my hamstring while running the Boston Marathon.  While I persevered and finished the race, I am now not sure that was the best thing I could have done.  Looking back I realize that the injury could have ended my running life entirely.  That is a truly sobering thought as running is a integral part of who I am and my life.  The good news is that when I start to feel the niggling pains that could signal an injury I immediately pull back and reset my training expectations.  I have no intention of giving up on running especially due to a chronic injury.

What most runners fail to realize is that running is supposed to bring joy into your life.  It is not supposed to be something you have to do.  Sure it helps you feel good.  It keeps you healthy.  It helps you maintain a healthy weight.  But if you are pushing yourself hard all the time, you are really missing the point.  You should be embracing the fact that getting out on the road simply brings you joy and happiness.  The simple pursuit of running and sharing what you feel with others is truly what it is all about.  Why would you ever risk losing that just to hit a certain time split in your training program.

Today if I am not feeling up to a scheduled run, I change it up.  Maybe I just run a shorter distance or skip it altogether.  Skipping a scheduled run is in reality no big deal.   The key is to realize that handling failure or lack of desire is a learned skill.  Since coming back from my injury, I try to simply chalk up every failure, slow race time, or bonking as an opportunity to grow and improve.  Let's be realistic, no runner will go an entire career without having to deal with some sort of failure.   The big difference is in the attitude.  I choose to have the attitude that my many failures are simply a step towards becoming a better runner.

I have also changed my attitude towards my training.  I obviously try and meet my training goals.  I do work hard and at least twice a week I do speed work and tempo runs to improve my overall speed and stamina.  But if I am out on the road trying to finish one of my two weekend long runs and I just don't seem to have the gas to run the whole way, I simply stop and walk a bit until I feel better.  Sure it means I will log a much slower pace.  But I certainly won't do any damage to my body nor reduce the passion I have for the sport.  Besides who really cares if I run 10 miles at a 9:00 or 10:00 pace.

It is more important to feel gratitude that I can get out there and run whenever I want.  At 56 years old it is a gift to be able to continue to run and race like I do each year.  Therefore when I am having a rough time out there on the road, feeling stressed, I remind myself that I get to do this each morning.   I don't have to get up early and log the miles.  I choose to.  If I am truthful to myself, this little reminder brings me back to center and I am grateful to just be out there running.

May 14 – 6.10 miles (1:07:26, 11:03 pace) – Hill Repeats
May 15 – 6.20 miles (53:51, 8:41 pace) – Speed work
May 17 – 9.30 miles (1:21:30, 8:46 pace) – Tempo Run
May 18 – 6.20 miles (55:02, 8:53 pace)
May 19– 8.50 miles (1:15:16, 8:51 pace)
May 24 – 9.40 miles (1:22:24, 8:51 pace) – Tempo Run
May 25 – 7.20 miles (1:05:19, 9:04 pace)
May 26 – 10.40 miles (1:35:15, 9:10 pace)
May 27 – 10.10 miles (1:30:57, 9:00 pace)
May 28– 6.10 miles (1:09:46, 11:15 pace) – Hill Repeats
May 29 – 6.30 miles (53:35, 8:52 pace) – Speed work
May 31 – 9.40 miles (1:21:51, 8:42 pace) – Tempo Run
Jun 1 – 6.10 miles (55:42, 9:08 pace)
Jun 2 – 8.10 miles (1:14:10, 9:09 pace)
Jun 3 – 11.20 miles (1:51:26, 9:57 pace)
Jun 4 – 6.10 miles (1:01:33, 10:05 pace)
Jun 5 – 3.10 miles (23:55, 7:43 pace) – Speed work
Jun 7 – 9.40 miles (1:22:11, 8:45 pace) – Tempo Run
Jun 8 – 7.10 miles (1:07:21, 9:29 pace)
Jun 9 – 10.30 miles (1:38:06, 9:31 pace)
Jun 10 – 10.10 miles (1:35:17, 9:26 pace)

Total Miles:  166.6 miles
2018 Total Miles:  760.6 miles