" Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it..." (T. Alan Armstrong).
This is just so truth!! Training is the toughest part of a race, you need to put a lot of yourself to accomplish your goals and even though you do, sometimes the outcome might not be what you were expected and you will start all over again, you will keep training and traying because you are a RUNNER that is what a RUNNER does!! You race against yourself...you want to improve, you want to beat yourself, you want a PR (personal record) you want a medal, you want to qualify, you want to say "YOU TOLD ME I WAS CRAZY BUT I DID IT".
As many of you know I have been working crazy hours for the last 4 months and just the last month I have reached almost 70 hours per week!! You have no idea how difficult is to train when you are working this much. It wasn't a good idea to sign up for these ultras during my busy season, I know it now! I really thought it wasn't going to be this tough this year but it has been worst than last year. This is also the reason why I have been so lazy writing the blog, I have almost no spare time and if I do I just want to rest!
I have been able to do all my long runs starting at 5:30 AM on Saturdays and heading work afterwards but during the week I haven't run as many miles as I did last year for the 50 miller, I couldn't reach the miles I was supposed to run. Anyway, my long runs have been stronger than last year and I guess that is a good signal.
For the last 4 weekends I have done very long runs 22, 24, 26.5 and finally today with a marathon in Van Cortland Park. I felt strong in all the long runs but the North Face races are really challenging and I am starting to be concerned. During the last 2 weeks I have met many ultra runners and all of them have mentioned to me how tough those races are :( and that scared me a little. I know I have run the distance before but the course was much easier and these ones are very technical (many rocks, huge up hills).
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| The countdown has started! |
I only have 1 more week of crazy work and after that I will go back to a more normal schedule...no more 12+ hours work days!!! Can't wait!! really!!!
I will write about Scott (don't you know who he is?? OMG..how come?? I will tell you all about him!!) in a separate post.....oh yes he deserves his own special post but I am too tired to do it now!! and of course I will also write a complete report of the marathon....how come was so hot today??? I was not ready for this hot weather!!
As Scott told me "Run Long and Run Strong"
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