I am an Ultrarunner

Well, I completed the Bandera 50K on Sat. Jan 7th.  My second official "Ultra" (short for UltraMarathon...that means it's longer than 26.2 miles).  Two years ago, almost exactly, i completed the exact same race.  Then i got cancer, did treatment, trained, then ran it again.  Last time I did the race it was my "A" race...which means that was my focus, i worked up to it and i tapered, or rested for it. 
Last time i ran a 6:09.  A good solid race effort.  The weather was perfect for me (very cold...12-44 degrees). Everything went very well.  I Placed 7th female and 2nd in my age. 
This time around, i decided about 10 days before the race that I would do it.  I did  not taper.  I ran 26 miles 7 days before the race on Saturday.  The weather was beautiful for a picnic, but not exactly perfect for an ultra trail run. (55-75 degrees).

This year i ran a time of 6:19.   I felt very happy with that time.  This year the race was also much larger.  I placed 12th female and 4th in my age group.

Both years I started and finished the race with my good friend Lisa.  A funny thing, though, because last time we trained very much together and we ran the whole race together.  This time, we've trained differently and were apart for much of the race, and still finished together.  I felt there was something symbolic about that...of course :).

No the shirts were actually NOT planned! :)

I remember when i first admitted that i was a "marathon runner."  It was after i'd run my second marathon and had qualified for Boston.  Always before that i would tell people i was not really a runner...just a person who ran sometimes.  This past week at work, it started to become common knowledge that i run A LOT.  People began asking and began to explain that i ran 31 miles the past weekend, and that i'm planning to run 35miles tomorrow.   One person asked.....31 miles? what is that??Called.   "It's an Ultramarathon".  (Even if, a "mini-ultra" in comparison to many other ultra events).  Then i found myself speaking aloud..."I'm an Ultrarunner.  Yikes! I've never said that before!
A few days later i was having a discussion with Lisa about the issues that being an ultra runner can cause... and she mentioned these UTube videos.  This is funny! You Simply must watch!

I am an Ultrarunner

If you like that, you must also check out on UTube "Training for an Ultramarathon", and "...I am a Marathon Runner. I am injured."


I've officially signed up for the Nueces 50 Miler on March 3rd. 

35 this Saturday
3M half marathon next weekend
40 miles the Saturday after...
Then begin to taper

With all that said, i've had a few strange things going on.  Hormonal Mostly.  The HOT Flashes have been horrible.  Possibly worse since i depleted my energy at the Bandera race, but not sure exactly.
I've been a bit panicked by this port, since #1 i wore the wrong  bra without a band aid over it and literally rubbed holes in my chest, and then i read on the Carnations Blog that the thing was supposed to be flushed now and then, and of course my Oncologist had not mentioned that...In his defense, he just said get it taken out.  I've delayed makin the appointment to take it out because it is unclear how many days i cannot run after the procedure.  It was 10 days after they put it in.

So...now i have an appointment with the surgeon on Monday to discuss taking out the port.
I suppose we will also talk about the plans for my second surgery.  Left mastectomy and reconstruction.  I've still made no absolute decisions, but have had some productive discussions with my husband that have helped.

In the Thick of It

Well I've now gone and done 2 things that were not exactly in my 50 mile training plan.  Two things that I am willing to mention, anyway. 
 

First, I signed up for the 3M 1/2 marathon which I will run on 1/29/12 for that last chance effort toward a NY marathon qualifier. And, speaking of “Last Chance”, now, I am also signed up for my beloved  Bandera 50K  trail race which is this weekend. (Note:  “Last Chance” is the name of the last rest stop at the end of the 50k race, 1/2 mile from the finish.  It would simply be silly for a person running the 50K to stop there, but I believe the history has to do with the 100k racers taking a shot of liquor, or something, there... silly trail runners J).

This past weekend on New Year’s Eve morning, I ran 26 miles.   I ran the 26 miles out at a park called McKinney Roughs with some good friends.  It was a beautiful day and couldn't have been a better way to wrap up this year. 

My Newest Running Buddy Jack, and myself, checking out the Map. But... check out the MOP.

My good friend Lisa on the Colorado River Bank with Steam.

Wow, have I come a long way this year!  Right now I would say that I'm truly "in the thick" of my running/training. This past week I ran my 26 mile long run, and a total of 54 for the week.  One year

ago at this exact time, I was in the thick of the chemotherapy.  Bald, weak and tired. Now I've got this huge alien sort of thick mop on my head and i'm getting physically pretty strong again.  

I’m running some long miles, and I’m physically able to have fun.   I remember last year taking a family trip to the coast around this time and I was actually afraid to go. I was afraid that I might drop Adaline while carrying her up or down the 16 steps to the house. I also knew that on days as full as a day at the coast could be with our 2 kids, I would get so worn out, that I would just feel like crying. 

We just got back from a 3 day trip to the coast. 

I thought this view was very cool because when i jogged up to it i literally could not tell where the ocean ended and the sky began. (Like in Forrest Gump).

I must have carried Adaline, who is at least 5 pounds heavier, up and down those 16 steps at least 5 times, lifted her on and off the boat, the bed, the chair, the car seat, and the floor, oh… 20 or so times and only once felt physically tired.   That was when I was idiotically attempting an 8 mile (+ 30 minutes of 2/1 fartlek) run, following a diet of fried fish and fried cream cheese jalapeños.) I did have one episode related to emotional fatigue when I over puréed one of Adaline’s meals to an indelible runny consistency.  But,  probably only someone who purees and feeds and cleans up puréed food containers 2-3 times a day for several years in a row, could really understand the upset that this could cause. (Jenn). Anyway, the point was that I felt great and had a great time, even if I do look sort of silly with the mop thing.  It’s funny that this trip is when I truly noticed the difference in my strength and energy levels, in life. 

For this weekends race, I am, once again, shooting for a good solid "race prep" run.  Race Prep for my “A” race, which is the  Nueces 50 Miler  on March 3rd. This weekend, at the 50K, I will try out some new race/running strategies and reassess some of the old.  I’m hoping to have fun and feel good.  I’m also hoping to be able to complete some sort of run on Sunday, and then slip seamlessly back into training, as usual on Tuesday, in order to continue my progression of fitness for the next 8 weeks.

For Your Entertainment... Introducing...   "Dancing Ace"....doing the "Bust and Freeze" to SAIL.