Sometimes I believe plans are there for no other reason than to have something just to chuck out the window in order to pursue other options... Let me give you an example...
My life-view as of Monday morning 7:20 looked like this...
1. I was to stay in Leadville for one more day, leaving Tuesday morning to go home.
2. I was to come back to Leadville on Friday to pace my cousin for part of his inbound leg in the Lt100 run.
3. I would train after that and run the Bear 100 in Sept.
4. I would focus on 2012 after that.
By Tuesday 12:00, things had changed to...
1. I could not get time off to to run the Bear due to the VZ/CWA strike. My request was denied by executive management.
2. After presenting my situation to the LT100 RD, I was allowed a spot in this weekends race.
3. Instead of coming back to Leadville on Friday, I have to return on Thursday to be there in time for Med check in Friday Am.
4. I go to the start line 04:00 Saturday morning.
That is kind of the gist of it all...
Can I do it? I think so. Why not? I have way more things going for me than not...
1. I am faster than I was last year, no doubt.
2. I will be going to the line about 14 lbs lighter than last year. (Of course I can' t bench 225 anymore either...)
3. Last year going to the line I had about 1550 training miles for the year under my belt. This year, 1900.
4. I have an awesome shoe/sock combo that I have run four 50 mile races this year using with ZERO blister issues.
5. I have an awesome and experienced crew for this race.
6. I know the course and have been on it (too much) recently.
7. I spent the past week living and sleeping at 10K +.
8. I don't have any injuries.
9. I am truly excited and passionate about doing this race more so than I was going into the Bear...
10. I've done it before and I know what to expect.
11. The weather forecast is for nice cool temps and no heat and we all all know how heat kicks my butt...
For the most part then the status board is mostly green... but there are issues that could be impacting and fully expect them to in one degree or another...
1. No @#$@# taper! I ran an 84+ mile week last week. I ran 20 miles (moderate effort) up in Leadville on Monday night. That being said, I won't be starting as fresh as one might want. BUT! My runs last week or so up in Pb were really strong quality runs that never left me too trashed. (a positive spin here...)
2. As well as having only a four day taper, I only have four days to wrap my head around this whole endeavor. So a very short time to psychologically prep. I am forced more into reactive mode now of just do it, don't think, just do it, which could lend itself to a more organic and natural (read better) running effort from me since I am not brain f*cking the race for months on end.
3. Timing is tight with me having to leave Leadville and get back to the Springs after being gone for a week. I have less than 24 hours (down to about 8 hours now) to get my life here caught up, get my gear together (all done last night) and run some last minute errands before heading out back to Leadville tonight. It is just stressful and more load than I would like on my system two days out from ANY race... much less this one.
That about sums it up. More in the plus than minus column for certain. I am excited and ready to go. I can't wait to get back up there and be a part of it all again.
As I told Melissa last night... When life gives you lemons, sometimes you just have to force life to bend the hell over, shove the lemons right back up life's ass, and then go on your merry way and run hard!
This is definitely one of those cases...
So I won't be pacing my cousin now but I guarantee I will be chasing him and working to catch him on the inbound. Hopefully that will push him even more. :)
So I say again... good luck to all of my friends racing and pacing this weekend. I am so excited to see how everyone does... From Brandon going for his Big Buckle to my buddy Lee who is going for his 1000 Mile Buckle... My cousin John going for his first finish and everyone else... I look forward to being out there with you on the trial again.
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