The BIG 5-0!

Well, it took a little while, but I finally did it! I finally ran 50 miles in one week. Now, to my ultra running friends out there who are brave enough to take on 50 mile races or two to three marathons a year, that really doesn't sound like a big deal, but to me, it is huge! To catch you all up on my "training" schedule, my week consists of running 6 days a week. On the week days, I mostly run during the time I have between dropping my kids off at Mother's Day Out and 10 AM, when I'm supposed to be at work. That allotted time could be anywhere between 30 and 45 minutes depending upon how efficiently I get a one and three year old fed, dressed and out the door. I then try to get in a longer run on Saturday mornings, and that distance is contingent entirely on how I feel. It could be an hour and a half or 45 minutes. The particular 50 mile week, I had a little extra time in the mornings on the weekdays and finished it off with a nice 14 miler on Saturday!

Why is it such a big deal to me? Well, there are some obvious time constraints during a normal week that do not allow for much more than 40 miles. I'm not complaining! That is plenty for someone with no goal other than to remain consistent, so hitting 50 was kind of cool! Remember that word "goal" because I am going to return to that subject shortly. Secondly, I've been trying to recall the last time I actually hit the 50 mile mark in one week, and quite frankly, I'm having a hard time recollecting! It is quite possible I hit the half century mark once or twice in 2007 while training for the Chicago Marathon. I hadn't given in to the GPS peer pressure in 2007 and was too lazy to keep a written log, so I have no evidence to back my story. So, that leads me to 1998, my last cross country season at UAB. My point, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME!

Back to the "goal"! Apparently when you run 50 miles in one week, you are supposed to be training for something, as I have learned from many to whom I have mentioned my feat!  The default answer has been "life", "I'm training to live", but in an attempt to come up with a better, more clever answer and after giving it more thought, I have come to the conclusion, at the moment, I am training for summer mowing season! I swear, last summer almost killed me! There were several occasions, after stints in 100 degree heat index days, I thought I was just going to pass out. I attribute those days to a lack of fitness! Well, not this year buddy!! I've already set an early PR on an 85 degree, June day of 1:22, and I plan to DESTROY that come August!

Seriously, the mentions of goals from my running compatriots have motivated me to actually take a look at the calendar and find a race on which to focus my efforts. It seems I've finally reached a point of consistency and have gained some confidence, so what the hell! I'm thinking either 10K or half marathon around August. All suggestions are welcome!