Aesthete Runner

I can't believe that it has been 8 days since my 50k! I have recovered pretty quickly considering and feel almost back to my normal self. After 6 days of rest and a wonderful sports massage, I am feeling the itch to get running again. Before I start another training cycle, I really want to reflect on the race in a similar fashion to the Chicago Marathon . I learned a lot from this race, and while there are certainly some hard lessons learned, I also experienced some wonderful moments too.

I did it! I ran my first 50k on Saturday. It has taken a few days for me to reflect on the race. I experienced so many intense feelings within one race that it was very difficult for me to even understand or identify how I feel about that day. I listened to a podcast a few months ago that talked about failure. How we often are afraid to do things where failure is a real possibility. Often times in training, we select plans or goals that are challenging enough that we feel pushed, but where we can finish feeling satisfied that we accomplished what we set out to do. We rarely select races or goals where we could fail, and as a result, we never learn to be better. Failure is not bad. Failure is not the end of the world. When we do fail, we learn how to be better. We learn that it is ok to fail, but then we pick ourselves up and try again. I knew signing up for a 50k raised the real risk of actual failure. I felt this more than any other race I had signed up for. Contrary to my fear of...

I am still reflecting on my first 50k, so until then, enjoy the Trail Tuesday!

That's right...ONE day until my first 50k. I woke up this morning after sleeping in on a day off, and it seemed unreal that at this time tomorrow, I will be running my first ultramarathon.

In honor of upcoming Earth Day, and my first ultramarathon, this week's Trail Tuesday is going to be a love letter to my first and favorite trail, Greene Valley.

It's here...the final week leading up to my first 50k. There are times when I feel like I've been training forever and I just want race day to get here, and other days where I wonder if it was enough. Fortunately I had another great week of training that has bolstered my confidence going into the last week of the taper.

Spring running is pretty similar to fall running, but rainier! Spring in the midwest means cool mornings, humidity, rain, wind, and warm afternoons. Thankfully most of the fall pieces you may already own transition well into spring.

Spring has finally sprung! This past weekend brought the most beautiful 70 degree days, and all of the April showers have helped push spring along.

Hooray, I made it to the taper! This past weekend I finished my last long run and the next 13 days will be spent focusing on recovery. Looking back over the past few months, it feels like this day would never come.

April showers bring...

It is now officially April and that means my race is in 20 days!!!! The nerves and excitement are starting to set in. Yesterday I had my second 20 mile run and it is definitely sinking in that this is going to be happening...soon.