Well that escalated quickly

So when I last posted I did a recap of my first ultra and said how I had really lost my mojo for running.  So I decided on that day, June 30, 2020, that I would finally go for my first ever 300 mile month and further make the requirement that I run 10 miles minimum every day.  I'm not one of those who is good at "starting my new diet on Monday" so to speak so I ran ten miles that day.  I continued on throughout the month of July, logging 334 miles that month.  I continued to run at least ten a day through the 9th of August and then my body said I needed a break so I went back to my more normal mileage.  But I learned, yet again, that high(ish) mileage is so much more of a mind thing than a body thing.  

Now for the title...what escalated quickly you ask?  

At the end of last year I told myself that I was running my first 100 this year.  And then they kept getting cancelled.  While virtual races might do it for some people, they just aren't for me, plus none of my canceled races went virtual, they just gave you entry into next year.  I still had my chance at a 100 miler in Iowa in October but I started getting worried that it would be cancelled also.  I found a race that I was pretty sure wouldn't be cancelled and signed up.  For a 48 hours.  In Oklahoma.  In early September.  Predicted temps of upper 80's to mid 90's.  And humidity.  And I've never done a race in the heat.  What could go wrong?  I'm three weeks out from that now and about 8 weeks out from the 100 miler in Iowa.  I also have the 24 hour in KS in November.  Regardless, I'm hoping to cover 100 miles in the 48 hour and definitely get my first 100 miler in this year.  

Oh also when I registered for the Potawatomi run next year, which was cancelled from this year, I signed up for the 150 instead of the 100.  Because what could go wrong?   I feel like that is becoming a theme.  

So mileage will stay around 60 a week through the next two weeks and then have a taper week headed into the 48 hour.  So far it's looking like the race might be held, with restrictions.  Fingers crossed.  

Goals?

Don't die

Keep moving

100 miles

My A goal if everything goes perfect is 150 miles but I've never run more than 65 or so, so I'm sure that is ludicrous.  But this whole thing is ludicrous so why not dream big, right?  What could go wrong?  

Midlife crisis

I haven't checked in here in six years.  Six years.  So what happens to a surrogate that retires in six years?  Well for me, the kids all grew up.  They moved out.  The first six months I swear I just slept and read books.  We took some nice vacations.  We still went to work every day and did normal stuff but I feel like the first six months were truly just recovering from raising kids for over 20 years.  Then the inevitable "what's next" came up.  I recognized the question because I faced it when I retired from surrogacy.  So what was next? 

I have been a jogger (plodder) for years now.  I would jog some and then not do it again for a month and then go for a jog again.  For some unknown reason, on 12/29/2017 I went for a run and decided to do it daily.  Today, 3/10/20, I'm over 800 days into a run streak.  I started and just haven't ever stopped.  Meanwhile my husband had a mini-stroke and we went plant based in our eating (mostly...we cheat some) and he joined me on my run streak, his first day being 3/24/2019. 

After about a year of running daily I decided I wanted to try a race.  Joe and I had been training for a half marathon when he had his mini-stroke but that didn't excite me.  I had done a 5K or two in the past and that didn't excite me either.  So I signed up for a 50 miler.  Because why not?  I did the 50 miler in March of 2019 and loved/hated every minute of it.  I signed up for a 100K that fall, followed 2 weeks later by a 24 hour race.  I loved/hated every minute of those too.  So I signed up for my first 100 miler.  It is in 3 weeks.  More to come on that later. 

I did a tune up run, a 12 hour race last weekend.  It was a blast.  In a stunning turn of events I won my age group (and I wasn't the only one in my age group).  I'm still slow and never will not be slow but I am learning how to hurt I think. 

So that's the update.  I plan to post here for myself, so I can talk about my ultras and training without boring those people in my life I love.