I am very excited for the race to get here. Last year my only goal was to finish. This year ideally I'd like to beat last years time by an hour. Pretty lofty goal if you think about it. But you know me. Go big or go home!
Last weekend I got a 16 mile trail run in with some friends. Yvette Miajala a lady I had just met who is running the Superior spring 25K and Stu my new running partner(he just started training 2 month ago) check his blog out: http://couchtotrailmarathon.weebly.com/
It went pretty good. I still had gas left in the tank at the end. Our average pace was about a minute better than my race pace from last year. That don't mean much because the Superior hiking trail(race course) is much more difficult. However we did stop multiple times to take pictures and check trail maps.
I have come up with a race plan for this year. My plan is start conservitive and to attack the down hills. On the way back I hope to start picking up the pace and have a negative split. It sounds like the course is going to be sloppy. We had record snowfall this year and there may still be snow on the course. That don't bother me tho. The course was really sloppy last year too. It was raining almost the whole race.
Last year I carried my hydro pack with 2 liters of water and a bottle of Gatorade. This year I am going to carry my pack minus the bladder but with a bottle of water and a bottle of Gatorade. There is 2 aid stations to refill and the course is out and back so I'll have 4 chances to refill. That should be plenty. The reason I'm still wearing the pack is so I can pack some food and so I don't have to carry my drinks. The hills are do steep you really need your hands to pull yourself up in many places. Sounds fun huh?;-)
How far we have come. Last year I didn't know if I would finish. I didn't know anybody else that was racing. At mile 12 I thought I was done. I had cramped so bad I was going to quit at the 12.5 mile aid station. I wonder where I'd be if I had quit. Would I have continued to go after the dream of that 100 miler? Last year a guy stopped to check on me as I was pulled off the side of the trail. It was Mike Madden. He introduced me to S!caps and shared some of his with me. It seems that all ultra runners are always willing to help someone in need. That and seeing Dan LaPlante(the son of my uncles best friend, and running machine)at the aid station were the only two things that kept me going. Dan encouraged me to continue at least to the half way point and back to the aid station. Then he said to reevaluate how I felt. The S!Caps had started working and I was able to continue. Now this year after doing 2 more ultras one of which was a 75 miler. This 31 miles doesn't seem so insurmountable. I actually know in my mind I can finish. Also I know a few other people that will be there this year. It is amazing how many of the same faces you start to see when you start doing these type of races. I absolutely love that part of it. Everyone I've met seem to be really good people.
We have rented a room again this year right at the finish line. Hopefully the girls will make it out on the course to cheer. They seem excited to make signs and be out there. Last year the weather kind of put a damper on that. Having them there has me completely thrilled. Now I just have to get thru these last couple days. I plan on getting about 10 more easy miles in just to kind of to loosen up the legs.
Wish me luck. I'll let you know how it goes as I recover next week.
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