Two Weeks!

I have been so so bad about updating here. Mainly because (shush, touch wood....) everything's been going really well! And other than race reports, who wants to read "I ran today, it was good" over and over again. I do have some reviews I keep meaning to get to, but I just have 50 50 50 in my head. Since I'm now starting to taper, I will have more time and some pent up running-ness that I need to vent somewhere without actually running or boring my poor husband to tears. The plan on spending some running time on increased pony rides has been thwarted in my pony's decision to grow out of his saddle. While I have a bodged enough fit for short easy rides (not that he does much more than that anyway...) it really isn't something I want to be using more than necessary. Bareback doesn't seem like a good idea two weeks out from my longest ever run by 18 miles either - both due to potential of falling and already having a bum hip. If you saw me ride bareback you would never guess the 25 years of riding experience and being called on as a crash-test-dummy for so many people and volunteering to hop on trouble makers. It's really quite embarrassing... And if you're selling an English or hybrid style treeless, or interested in a super comfortable, English made close contact saddle let me know!

I've specifically had a few key workouts, particularly groups of workouts. A few weeks back, I had four workouts in less than 30 hours - Wednesday 6:00 run, 7:45 weight training, 21:30 run, Thursday 7:00 run. It was mentally taxing, a good test of night running (foggy night under trees with roots everywhere is not ideal night running if you were wondering...), and the legs were feeling the hills on the last run. I also went against the usual recommendations regarding strength training and back to backs. We did a hilly ten on Sunday afternoon, with a weight session Monday morning, and was on the trail for a 20 miler within the hour. Typically, it is recommended to do the shorter/easier run on the second day, and not team strength training with long run days. Well that's all well and good when you're aiming for a 20 mile long run in preparation for a 26 mile race. I wanted all the pre-fatigue I could get! Plus I knew we would be taking it very easy on the 20.

Tomorrow and Monday are my last challenging runs, with a hilly route (distance tbd, never mapped this route, guessing between ten-twelve) tomorrow and the longer version of Russian Gulch (only eight-ish) Monday (and strength). Then taper! Not the ten day clusterf*ck that was pre- Salt Point. I have my massage booked, my runs and strength workouts mapped out, yoga time, and then I'm going to run fifty f*cking miles! Wooooo!