It's Been Too Long

I know. I haven't posted since...Thursday? Time flies when you are running ultras, eating lots of PB, and watching wayy more Food Network than most people should.
  Friday morning was an easy 6 that felt ABSOLUTELY AMAZING after my massage the night before. My legs felt great, my playlist was fist-pumpin' good, and I sailed through the miles on 2% like I was running on flat ground. Coach Superwoman said to do 5 miles, but at 5 miles, I knew my legs needed another. I felt like I had another 13 in me, honestly, but I resisted, hopped off after 6, and went to eat some toast with PB and some cottage cheese and fruit. The rest of the day was spent at school, then at the library getting new books (if you haven't picked up Kristin Armstrong's latest book, Mile Markers, get yourself to the library or Borders and pick it up! The way she writes is the way I think on my runs- it is literally like reading my ramblings, and it is so enjoyable!).
      Saturday the fam was up early to get to the site of the ultra. I did a wonderful 4 mile warm up with my Dad around the neighbordhood, enjoying my time with him and the chance to get out in the quiet, sleepy neighborhood again, something I have not done recently since my longer efforts have been starting so late (note to self: STOP DOING RUNS AT NINE IN THE MORNING!). The hills in my neighborhood are ridiculous, so the pace was a little slower than normal, but I loved the chance to match pace again with the man who got me running. My Dad took me on my first run at age 13, and helped me push through the cramps and pain and fostered a love for the sport that will never die. Thanks, Dadio!!
    We got to the site an hour and a half early, so I took the opportunity to nap in the sun on the backseat while my Dad explored the grounds and my momma joined me in the napping. We woke up around 11:15, found the potty, I put on my gear, and we headed to the race site. The race involved a 3.7 mile loop followed by two 13.7 mile loops, and I was supposed to meet by buddy Jon at the start of his second 13.7 mile loop. Watching all the runners come in was awesome- some of them barely looked fatigued!! I sat in the sun, watching the commotion, until the race clock hit 3:17, when Jon showed up! I gave him the PB&B sandwich he had requested, we refilled his CamelBak, and then were off!

 Fast forward 3 hours, 12 minutes later, and my hero is heading to the finish and I am creepily smiling for my camera crew, aka my parents. The course was TOUGH; the websites description:  " The course is mostly single track trail with a mix of open fields, dirt road and some paved road. The course features nearly 9,800 feet of climbing. There is a starting loop of 3.6 miles followed by two identical loops of 13.7 miles. There are 4 stream crossings that can be challenging depending on the water level - there is alway the chance of getting wet feet" does not do it justice. The hills were MASSIVE, NEVER ENDING BIG'UNS, and the stream at the end went me+stream=water bottle falling=me going to catch bottle, slipping=bruised shin. Sounds brutal, but it was also awesome. REALLY awesome. One of those runs where you are hurting and want so badly to finish and think you'll never do it again, and six hours later you want to get back out there and do it again.
   I was dumb and did the elliptical after the race, because my legs were jumpy and I was too wide-awake for a nap. This was a bad idea. It lead to:
Monday: wake up in morning, go back to bed, go to school feeling jumpy and yucky for not running. Take off-day from Wednesday today, but go to spin class, lift arms, and go on elliptical instead of not exercising like Wednesday's schedule says.
Tuesday: Decided to do my four miler in the morning, meaning my workout is pushed til evening. Nearly fall asleep in Spanish, come home intent on running, go nap, wake up at 5:15 feeling like a truck hit me. Whimper that I am not invincible and my legs want sunshine and concrete and lactic acid, but brain tells legs to can it and rest like coach SuperW said to.
Tuesday night: Super envious of my Dad for running, but I know deep down I needed to take today off, even if it means doing 11 miles of workout tomorrow morning and splitting up the 7 I owe from Monday between tomorrow and Thursday.

 Moral of the story: I am not always as invincible as I think. I am actually human, and after running my first 55 mile week and working out for, get ready, 5 hours on Saturday, I need to be okay with being a slouch one day to let my body recover so I can knock the socks off the rest of this 60 mile week's workouts, including my final long progression run before C-ville!!

   So there you have it, bloggies. Even superhero ginger-runners can't always be on the ball 24/7. BUT THEY CAN GET ACCEPTED TO DELAWARE AND GETTYSBURG WITH SCHOLARSHIPS. BOOOO YAAAA