ULTRA HAPPY

On Thursday I met up with my dad/coach to do a short run along the trails around Lake Natoma. I planned on bringing the idea up to him about me running in an ultramarathon later this summer. Right now he is very much into me running the road marathons and breaking the 3 hour mark. That is definitely one of my goals as well, but, I am also chomping at the bit to get out and run a trail race. As I bring up the idea to him, he protests and pushes me to the ground! TOTALLY KIDDING. But I did fall and bang myself up a little! This didn't help my case munch in wanting to run a trail race!(Haha)  His big concern (besides me staying on my feet.) is me being able to recover from the Nashville marathon in April, train for and recover from an ultra in July and then be ready for a hard training cycle to run a fast (hopefully low 2:50s) marathon in October. Ultimately he knows how much I love the trails and knows that they play to my strengths. So, as of now I have the green-light to add an ultra to my race list for 2012! I am still on the wait-list for the Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Runs. I am really hoping I can get into the race as it is my number one choice. If not, I have scouted out another possibility: Siskiyou Out and Back 50k. It looks like a great race to do for a first ultra and maybe I'll even get to meet Hal =) Either way, I am extremely excited to be running an ultra this year. When I think about it I get the same feeling a 6 year old gets when they are told they are going to Disnelyland for the first time.

Running truly gives me absolute bliss. I am addicted to the burning in your legs that you get after pushing through the finish of your last repeat. Or the feeling of accomplishment after you finish a 20+ mile run. The faster I get the more I want to see just how far I can push my body.  Not only in a race, but in ever workout. I love to see peoples reaction when you tell them how far you ran that day and their only reply is "I don't even drive that in my car." It really is a sport for the mentally twisted; but oddly enough we are probably the sanest of all.

Stay crazy.

Train. Race. REPEAT.