Pushing it a little at a time

I just got back from a great run. I ended up going a little longer than I normally go but I'm glad I did. I'm slowly getting my strength back and it's just my cough that seems to be lingering around.

The weight training I've been doing has really seemed to tighten up my core and I believe it's having a positive impact on my running. I've been concentrating on doing lots of single leg exercises (leg extensions, one legged squats, leg curls, lunges) and I can feel my legs starting to get stronger. I was reluctant to do any weight lifting but I now believe it's a very important part of my training program.

I will use each run I complete between now and my race to increase my inner strength. I keep having dreams about my race and what I want it to look like. I've run in the Seaton trail enough times to know most of the terrain, and I know which parts I can run and which parts I'll need to walk. For me, the biggest challenge will be once I've completed two laps (52 K's) knowing that I have to go out there one last time to finish the race. There is a time cutoff of 10 hours which means that I need to be at the final turn-around before 10 hours or I'll be disqualified from the race. The "average" time I'll need to avoid that is a 4 hour lap. Each lap is 26K's and the best I've done is 2:45. Obviously I'll be running much slower than that but I barring an injury, I really shouldn't have to worry about the cut-off time.

I use mental imagery quite a bit to help me prepare for races like this. It's also important for me to avoid outside distractions or anything that could be seen as "negative." If I don't have my mental "A" game then it won't matter what shape I'm in physically. When it comes to running ultra-marathons, it's more mental than physical. I know that I'll be in pain at some point during the race. I may fall 1/2 dozen times, have scrapes, bruises or whatever but I'll have to block out that pain and continue onwards. What will help is knowing that the other runners will be experiencing much of what I'll be going through. Even though running is an individual sport, having people around me will help to keep my mind focused on everything but the running.

There is absolutely NO room for self-doubt or pity when it comes to ultra races, especially in the trails. The 20+ trail races that I've done in the past all have presented different challenges as well as breathtaking beauty. I know that as I head into this race it will be the greatest challenge that I've ever encountered. I like to use fear as a way to motivate me and to keep me from getting too overconfident. Fear forces me to respect the course and that will ensure that I continue to prepare as hard as humanly possible.