Why an Ultra?

When I tell people I want to run an ultramarathon the unavoidable question I always heard is “Why?” following by a “you are nuts” or “ is that even safe?”

Trying to explain this to a non runner is tough and sometimes it is also difficult for other runners to understand this. How to explain why I want to run 50 miles for about 12 consecutive hours? I haven’t even told my mother I am doing this as she could be so worry that she would take a plane and be here tomorrow to stop me!!!

So why to try an ultra? Because Celia convinced me that it could be fund to do it together….guess what? Now she has postponed her ultra plans….but I am stuck with it…LOL...or because I saw how happy my friend Deanna was when she completed her first ultra some months ago? Or because I am madly in love with Scott Jurek an ultramarathon runner ?? Well, may be a little of all this has something to do with the decision but here are the real reasons:

The name of my blog is challenging the body but running an ultra seems to be more than that. It is a mental challenge in any aspect you can think about. It is not only to be able to run 50 miles on race day but to be able to commit to train for that.

Long back to back runs need to be done for many weeks and if running a marathon it is considered tough imagine running one for several weekends following by another long run the next day!! Yes, I can understand why some people think this is crazy. I have only run 2 marathons and I still remember how tired I was the following day and the idea of running 10 or 15 miles just the next morning scared me a little but I still believe that it can be perversely fun.

I love challenges and 26.2 no longer represented one since I can easily count more than 100 people I know who have already run one or more marathons. Yes, it is believed that less than 1% of the world population will run a marathon but I know I can run a marathon already so what else could motivate me?

I need motivation all the time, I need a goal…. to get a new PR may be?….but to be honest I don’t like that, I don’t like running fast as I can’t really enjoy and appreciate the surrounded when I am trying to spring. May be because I am not a natural sprinter so to try to go faster requires much more concentration for me and I am unable to perceive sounds, smells, and people. I feel that when I go very fast I am unable to enjoy running.

I love running because I feel peace when I am out there, I can connect with my body and the environment, I don’t think about anything else than the road and since I don’t use an iPod (not even in my lonely long runs) I can perceive things that otherwise I could have never noticed.

I'm motivated by the idea of expanding my physical and mental limits. The idea of completing a 50-mile ultra seems a new frontier for me. I love the idea to do something very few people can do or better said take the risk to do it because anyone can do it, with proper training, but having the determination and persistence needed to do an ultra is something you can’t get with training. It is inside you or it is not and I want to explore how much determination I have.

I don’t know whether I will success or no, I don’t even know if I will be able to follow the demanding training but I know I will try because when I decide to do something I don’t quit easily!! I think this is the real challenge…going through the training and survive it to enjoy a last nice long run with other nuts runners.

I am very excited about this and the only thing that would make me change my mind is my hip which has started to hurt me again this week.

I thought I was getting better but during my last two runs I had pain. It is a little frustrating since I am already 4 weeks behind my original schedule and now I only have 3 months to get back in shape before the ultra. I have been going to PT 2 times per week and I am being a good girl and doing my exercises every morning and every night to strength my hip but I can’t wait more to start the long back to back runs so this weekend I will test my hip with a long 14 miles run on Saturday and a long 10 miles run on Sunday….I guess I will need an ice bath afterwards!!

Let’s hope my hip behave, I will try to be kind to her and just run in the path….holly cow…that will be a very long bored run but since I have refused to get her a cortisone shot that is the minimum I can do in exchange for her services.

Lets the fun starts and wish me luck this weekend!!